Black Dawn
by Adari
Summary: Sequel to Lost Hope. If the Wizarding World thought normal would be restored following the death of Harry Potter, the House of Black has news for them. So too did the new ghost...who's kind of green.
1. Chapter 1

I was 'tactfully' reminded that I had actually mentioned this story this morning and so I shall endeavour to get it finished and posted. A couple little bits to finish and a minor re-shuffle so hopefully you are reading this less than a week from now. I was also advised, by another party who has nothing to do with this board at all, that it would be diplomatic to mention my lack of sympathy for Hermione Granger. If you think Hermione Granger is the bee's knees, read no further, you will get offended.

**Prologue:**

"A certain twinkle-eyed menace has been an idiot!" The expression of Severus Snape could only be called murderous as he stalked out of the fireplace at number 12 Grimmauld Place. Snape didn't even register the cushion before he banished it, flying objects were common in the Black Household.

"Why?" Sirius Black didn't even bother to look up from the war he was engaged in.

"I..." Snape swallowed his words as the floo roared behind him and he needed the breath to banish another cushion.

"I am displeased." Lucius Malfoy swept out of the fireplace with a look of distaste.

"Oh?" Sirius waved his wand, removing the animation charms on all of the cushions in a single wave. "Weren't you displeased last week?"

"That was two months ago, Black." Malfoy scowled for a moment and then sighed. "Last week's displeasure, as you refer to it, was not even vaguely comparable to this week's displeasure." Malfoy cast a chilly look at Snape. "What did the fool do to cause that?"

"Been an idiot." Snape gave a shrug before helping the three Black boys to banish the cushions back to their original homes.

"So, the loss of a few exceptionally nasty trinkets the Dark Lord left in your custody to the Ministry is minor compared to what?" Sirius glanced enquiringly between the two men, who were wearing identical black robes. "Oh." Sirius ran a tired hand over his face. "Wonderful, I consort with Death Eaters."

"The Headmaster was hiding the Philosopher's Stone within Hogwarts and the Dark Lord found it."

"Charming." Sirius slumped down into a nearby chair.

"Oh, Black, just to warn you, I think he's got an abnormally low opinion of Blacks...you might better watch your back and your wards."

"Believe me, no one comes through these wards without my permission these days...but I will up the defensive measures."

"Sirius." Fai'lo Black was looking almost worried.

"Yes, Fai, I know the defensive measures are already nasty...I can up them."

"Define nasty, Black?" Snape knew he had free access to this house, but now he was more than a little curious about the wards he was permitted to by-pass.

"Unintentional contact will give you one hell of a shock...results, short-term memory loss, forced apparition and a temporary loss of magic." Black frowned slightly. "Deliberate assault on the wards...well, let's just say I hope you like the accomodations at St Mungoes, because you'll be there for a while."

"Those the outer wards or the inner wards?" Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Those are the outermost layer of wards." Sirius gave a very thin smile. "Outermost layer inside of the fidelius and unplottable wards that is...and the muggle repelling wards...wizard repelling wards...and a few ancient family secrets I have no intention of sharing with anyone."

"Upgrading the defensive measures?" Lucius Malfoy actually looked vaguely worried as he asked the question.

"Adds a few lethal layers to the wards." Sirius waved a dismissive hand. "It will be quite an army which will actually reach the first of those wards so you needn't worry about anyone objecting at the Ministry."

"How relieving." Snape's tone was dry as he took a moment to persuade the hearthrug that his leg was not edible. They didn't stay much longer, just exchanged words and briefly discussed a boggart Fai'lo had turned up on the third floor and kept for experimentational purposes. Black stood firm that it was departing the premises, and preferably departing its existance, before the boys departed for Hogwarts. Share a house with many odd things Sirius would, but voluntarily sharing accomodation with a Boggart wasn't on the list. Snape had got some good mileage from the subject, but soon dropped it take a more serious part in the actual discussion. A pleasant evening was had by all and Snape departed knowing that the up-coming year was going to be very interesting.

XXXXXX

"...not possible...don't understand..." The soft mumblings of Minerva McGonagal caused Snape to swear under his breath, she'd been drifting throughout the school mumbling under her breath all day.

"What is impossible?" Snape nailed her with his nastiest scowl and was rather miffed by the encouraging smiles from the other staff who were tired of Minerva's mumblings. Why couldn't they have done it sooner and saved him the headache.

"It's the incoming first years." Minerva gave a frown. "Not one single muggleborn has sent back an acceptance. Three half-bloods haven't accepted either. Dean Thomas and Justin Finch-Fletchley have both withdrawn from second year and a further five have been in contact that their attendance is only certain for first term. From what I can find they've all signed up for private tutoring."

"What's so impossible about that?" Snape was not surprised that numbers were down a bit...and he didn't even need to have known Narcissa Malfoy was up to something to have that view. "Though I'm guessing the Quidditch will be pitiful in a couple of years.

"Severus..."

"Minerva, a half-blood died in this school last year." Snape couldn't keep the acid from his tone. "I have little respect for any parent who doesn't think twice about sending a child into that situation...and yes, I do know who got to your precious muggleborns."

"Severus?"

"Petunia Dursley is, to quote the crass muggle phrase, one seriously pissed-off woman who has taken it upon herself to give others a choice between their own lives and the tragedy which she calls the wizarding world."

"But why...?"

"The wizarding world is directly responsible for the death of her parents, her sister and her nephew...the only reason she's still alive is because she happened to be out when the Death Eaters took out her parents. For Petunia Dursley the Wizarding World is the equivalent to a death sentance which will be carried out in under a decade. She knows about us, but is not allowed to speak of us, or to us and is not permitted access to any of our resources. She knows first hand the pain of being 'left behind' and I can promise you, she is swearing to give everyone the choice they have but are never told about."

"She'll have to be obliviated." Minerva shook her head with disapproval.

"Minerva, are you listening to yourself?" Snape stared at the woman in disbelief. "Petunia Dursely did not just happen to see someone apparate in front of her, or get a seat in the stands of some conflict during the war. You are suggesting obliviating over thirty years worth of memories...and I know for a fact that we can't pick and choose what is obliviated, just how much. Do you intend to also obliviate her son? Her husband perhaps? The entire neighbourhood who remember that Harry lived there for a decade? Petunia is breaking no law, she is simply letting the families know what they would be able to find out for themselves but for the fact that we never allow them to enter our world. Remus Lupin and Seth Hampton have reliable, guaranteed employment for the first time in their lives. Seth can finally afford the two apprentices he's qualified to train...and I can't wait to see what he brings us with his time and income freed up in such a manner. Dean Thomas now has a chance to pursue his dream of becoming a professional football player...you forgot to tell him and his family during the orientation that football was utterly unheard of and Thomas suffers from vertigo which prevents him from persuing a career in Quidditch. Just because you don't know dutch about their world doesn't make it any less valid than ours."

"Yes, well I've no doubt that you'll be happy to know that Slytherin has three Blacks incoming as first years."

"No." Severus shook his head firmly. "Only two Blacks are entering as first year, one of them passed his first year exams a month ago...and I lack your confidence in their sorting."

"They're Blacks, Severus, they always go to Slytherin."

"I am instructed." Snape snorted under his breath and stalked off. A new year when, for the first time in many tens of years there would not be a single student among the intake who hadn't a completely wizarding upbringing...ostensibly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1:**

"You can't fight on the Hogwart's Express." The outraged voice stopped the promising brawl in its tracks and three pairs of eyes turned to scowl at the girl who stood in the entrance to their carriage. Gryffindor patch was obnoxiously visible.

"You just watch us." The three boys re-engaged with even greater vigour, only to grin at each other as the girl huffed and stalked off.

"Where were we?" They'd rearranged themselves to get a better grip before this query was lifted.

"We were engaged in showing you the error of your ways."

"Ah." There was a brief nod. "We should proceed then." The re-engagement was only brief though before they were interrupted again.

"I was noti...really!"

"Do you want something?" Only one of the boys bothered to look up and he groaned. "Another bloody Gryffindor."

"Appropriate manners to start with?"

"Why? We didn't invite you in here."

"It is against school rules to fight."

"We weren't fighting." The three boys untangled themselves and dropped into their seats before turning their scowls on the prefect who'd interrupted them, behind him bobbed the girl who'd originally interrupted them and there was also a gathering crowd.

"You weren't fighting?" Ginger eyebrows rose in polite disbelief.

"Fighting implies antagonistic emotions and an intent for deliberate physical harm." The reply was cold, only one of the boys spoke, the other two had retrieved books and were patently ignoring the scene. "We were engaged in disciplinary action, commenced in the normal fashion with three warnings and a count-down."

"Still..." The prefect frowned. "You are well acquainted?"

"Considering we're blood siblings we'd want to know each other." It came with a sneer and the prefect reddened as a soft snicker came from somewhere behind him.

"You have a view on this matter, Malfoy?"

"Of course not." Malfoy wriggled through the crowd and crashed onto one of the compartment seats. "I've just been looking for them and it's always fun to see someone try and take Spike in a debate."

"Malfoy." The boy nodded briefly, finally removing his attention from the prefect. "Who is that?"

"Gryffindor Prefect...Weasley by name and an infernal stickler for rules and regulations."

"Ah." The boy shook his head and fished a small black bag out of his pocket and chucked it across to Malfoy. "Frizzy Gryffindor?"

"Probably Granger."

"I hate you." One of the reading boys handed Malfoy a small black bag in turn.

"Ah, but I like him." The third boy was simply holding out his hand waiting patiently while Malfoy groaned before handing over a small black bag. "Thankyou." The boy settled back into his reading.

"Your names?" Percy Weasley had recognised the importance of exerting his authority over this mess.

"Black." The boy who seemed to be the main spokesman for the trio looked back towards the doorway with annoyance and sneered. "To be precise, I am Hades Black, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. My brother, Fai'lo Black, Heir of House Potter. Our youngest brother, Pluto Black." The sneer morphed into a smirk as Black turned away from the crowed and promptly held out a hand to Malfoy and one of his brothers. "Told you they'd lose their jaws over the news that we were Blacks."

"Mutt." Malfoy handed across a small black bag before scowling at the doorway in annoyance.

"I will be reporting you to a professor for fighting and gambling on the Hogwart's Express." The Prefect turned around and neatly ushered the audience away before he closed the door and departed himself.

"Nice." There was a soft snicker. "Not even Daiyati got awarded a detention for behaviour on the Express...and we managed it before even being sorted."

"Even better is the fact that we now know exactly where we'll stand within the school."

"What, about an inch higher than the Dark Lord?"

"Moron." The boys spoke in perfect chorus before grinning and exchanging bags again.

"You do realise there's going to be some serious trouble about these." Malfoy waved one of the small black bags in a vague manner.

"If anyone can relieve us of these bags I will gladly cease and desist." Hades waved a disinterested hand. "Until then, they will serve their turn."

"Well, I'm off...try not to have any issues of discipline until after we're settled for the night."

"You mean we shouldn't try for multiple detentions before we've even been sorted?" Hades seemingly innocent bewilderment drew laughter from all four and Malfoy took himself off, shaking his head and hoping he wouldn't lose too much on the sorting outcome.

XXXXXX

"Misters Hades, Fai'lo and Pluto Black?" McGonagall scanned the crowd of first years.

"That would be us." The drawl came from one side and McGonagal frowned slightly to see all three boys standing together and definitely apart from their fellow students.

"I've been notified that you were behaving irresponsibly on the train."

"Interesting, he told us the charges were going to be fighting and gambling." The tallest of the three gave a soft snort. "Our Uncle would firmly approve of us receiving a detention, Professor, you needn't be polite or kind."

"I see." McGonagall's mouth thinned, detentions were not a subject for flippency. "This matter will probably have to be addressed by the Headmaster after the meal."

"Yes, professor."

"Join your fellow students."

"We've tried." The reply came in a cold voice. "If we stand any closer than we currently are, they move away."

"Mr Black..." McGonagall paused as she considered the matter.

"That is precisely the problem, as Blacks we are apparently guaranteed our positions as Dark Wizards and pending mass-murderers. We prefer to keep to ourselves and not endanger the innocence of our fellow students."

"Follow me." McGonagall had considered matters for a moment before abruptly deciding that this was not a matter to be addressed now. Time to get the children into the hall for sorting.

XXXXXX

"Well, well, well...I have no idea how to even begin sorting you." The Hat had settled around Fai'lo's ears with a slight shuffle. "Infact I'm not even certain you even understand me."

"I hear and comprehend...and if you think I'm bad, you're not going to like who follows me."

"Are you trying to give me nightmares?" The Hat shuffled around then bent over to frown.

"No." Fai'lo smiled quietly. "I extracted a promise from them that they'd behave."

"Will Hogwarts survive the year?"

"Hogwarts will be fine...though I don't guarantee the sanity of the students if their behaviour is like the first years."

"Oh dear...well, here goes nothing." The hat seemed to sigh and sag for a moment before it straightened up to scream. "RAVENCLAW!" The hall was silent and the Ravenclaws appeared more horrified than anything.

"Black, Hades." The words sounded obnoxiously loud in the silence of the hall. The staff and students watched as the boy took his seat. The hat was silent for only a moment before it twisted towards McGonagal.

"The other must be sorted first." It was an announcement which staggered staff and students alike.

"Why?" Dumbledore picked up the hat carefully.

"Because otherwise I'll sort the brat to the Staff Table and let you suffer him for the next six years!" If the Sorting Hat had eyes, they'd have rolled.

"Wh..." Dumbledore bit his tongue and returned the hat to McGonagal, who placed it on the boy who'd replaced Hades Black on the stool. Not that Hades Black had gone far, and never had a student made McGonagal feel so uncomfortable before.

"Black, Pluto." McGonagal's expression was a little pinched.

"HUFFLEPUFF." The hat's announcement was made almost before the hat had fully settled on the silver-streaked dark hair. It was an announcement which silenced the hall...again. "The other one is GRYFFINDOR." That caused an explosion and Dumbledore picked up the hat again as the two boys moved to take their seats. Dumbledore considered the hat for a moment before he handed it back to McGonagal and resumed his seat, he'd be having a serious word with the Sorting Hat later. The uproar was bad enough already, they didn't need a disruption as bad as last year. The three Black boys were isolated within their houses and Dumbledore could not think what the Sorting hat had been thinking when it made those calls. The next student had been called and by the end of the sorting the hall had settled and all seemed normal, but for the silent figure at the end of three of the tables. Silent, isolated...Dumbledore had a very bad feeling about what the future was going to hold.

XXXXXX

"Would you mind explaining?" Dumbledore's expression was enquiring as he settled the Sorting Hat on his desk.

"Fai'lo Black is a Ravenclaw to the bone, Headmaster. If that boy gets any say about his life in this school he will be invisible. I have rarely met such an academic mind...it is fortunate he has his brothers and they are so close or I doubt he would ever develop as a balanced human being. A beautiful mind which would have no connection with practical reality but for his brothers. He shows the early signs of becoming a truly wonderful human being."

"Hades Black?"

"Pluto Black is the stability of those three brothers...the earth which binds for want of a better approximation." The Hat's tone was almost wondering. "Pluto Black is a shadow worker...the one who actually does while the world is looking somewhere else...I'd be worried but for the fact that that young man hasn't an ounce of ambition within himself. A nice, solid student who would be forgotten soon enough but for his brothers."

"Hades Black?" Dumbledore pushed the topic again.

"If I know the students like I think I do...you're in for a very interesting year, Headmaster." The Sorting Hat shuffled around and pointedly turned it's back on the Headmaster, it clearly considered the conversation over. Dumbledore tried to draw the Hat for a couple of minutes, then put it away and headed for the start of term staff-meeting...well first a meeting with the three Blacks, then the Staff-meeting. Hopefully he'd get a feel for the three brothers Black...perhaps give them some advice to ease their coming. Dumbledore did not like the idea of having a year the Sorting Hat considered interesting...particularly since it had not considered the nightmare of the previous year worthy of comment.

XXXXXX

"Black!" The cry had been the summons in three separate commonrooms and had eventually resulted in three prefects and three 'victims' meeting at the Headmaster's Gryphon.

"This evening has been very interesting, gentlemen." Albus Dumbledore studied the three boys who had entered his office on invitation and were now standing in a line looking every inch the pure-bloods their family supported. "Please be seated." Dumbledore almost smiled at the silent debate the three held before they each took a seat. "I think we have a problem."

"Sir?" The politely empty response came after quite a long stretch of silence.

"Gambling is not encouraged at Hogwarts, gentlemen."

"As a technicality, what we engage in is not gambling." The reply came rather flatly. "Over time, when gambling, money is either gained or lost...usually lost. Our pot, to use the appropriate term for the accusation, has not changed and will not change. Professor Snape did assure us that he had adequately explained matters."

"Gentlemen?" Dumbledore's expression was politely blank, the boy spoke truth, but Dumbledore was disinclined to believe that three Blacks and a Malfoy had been caught out by cursed coin.

"The coin contained in those small black bags is cursed." The words came curtly. "The four of us were exposed before we correctly identified the cause of the curse. Sufficient care has been taken to ensure the curse cannot spread, but we can assure you that at this point in time our activities will have to be overlooked."

"I am not..." Albus Dumbledore realised that his audible speech had stopped rather abruptly and he moved his jaw experimentally and with some surprise before focussing a more directed frown at the boy who was apparently a self-appointed spokesman.

"Lucius Malfoy and his connections are unable to unravel this curse. If you seriously believe that Lucius Malfoy would voluntarily allow his son and heir to remain cursed..." The boy was silent for a moment, then gave a brief nod and lead his brothers to the door. "You will be able to speak audibly in two minutes." The three boys disappeared down the stairs and Albus Dumbledore was already writing before the gryphon scraped their departure. Albus Dumbledore had a feeling that his oath to treat the Blacks fairly was going to be taxed to the limits. Dumbledore had been prepared to give these boys the chance he had once been given to rise above family scandal...it worried him that the boys were so dismissive of kindness. The boys were powerful and he did not fancy seeing them become opposition. Time to encourage discipline.

XXXXXX

"You appear ruffled, Headmaster." Snape's snide tone seemed to be the perfect way to start this meeting in Dumbledore's opinion. "Blacks on detention?"

"No." Dumbledore took his normal seat. "I did not feel it appropriate for the circumstances."

"Pity that." Snape gave a snort. "I request rights over any detention issued against them. I've dealt with those brats before...and elect to protect the sanity of the staff at this school."

"Why?" McGonagal's tone was challenging.

"Let me put it this way." Snape paused for a moment before giving a slight shrug. "I like the idea of a Hufflepuff Gryffindor Potions class after an hour in the company of the three Black brothers." Snape's smile was very thin. "Black has an unusual, but very effective, method of dealing with his wards...and I think that such high risk students should be kept away from even the faintest chance of a repeat of last year's fiasco."

"High risk students?" Sprout lifted the doubt that was in all minds.

"There's a certain Dark Lord recently returned to grace us with his personality." Snape was silent for a moment. "He seems to consider the only acceptable sort of Black to be a dead Black. Bellatrix Lestrange is already dead and only the Malfoy name keeps Narcissa alive. Malfoy spies on Black and the Dark Lord refrains from executing Narcissa. The price for even one of those three boys would support the Malfoys for almost a century...the price on Black himself..." Snape fell silent.

"What's the price for Black?" Dumbledore seemed very curious indeed.

"A position in the inner circle and a sworn immunity for the bloodline of your choice. To get Black, the Dark Lord would have let even Potter live."

"That's..." It was a muted splutter of confusion.

"Interesting isn't it. No one knows quite what annoyed the Dark Lord so badly...but the favoured speculation is that he's blaming Black for what happened at the Potters." Snape was silent for a moment. "I do not know the specifics, but Lucius Malfoy says that Black has taken special steps to guarantee his wards never face the Dark Lord." Snape's grin was slightly feral. "Two Death Eaters attempted to grab a Black before the Dark Lord himself banned us from even trying...the bounty is open only to bounty hunters and the general public." Snape decided he'd fulfilled his staff-meeting participation quota for the month and settled back to simply watch for the rest of the evening. This was going to be a very interesting year and he was going to have his work cut out to keep peace in Slytherin...particularly if he succeeded in what he wanted to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2:**

"HADES ANKAA ALKVN BLACK! WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO HEX THE HEADMASTER? I AM DISPLEASED! I AM SERIOUSLY DISPLEASED! BEHAVE LIKE A BLACK OR YOU WILL REGRET IT." The howler had exploded with a power which caused even the Weasley twins to flinch back in their seats.

"Crud!" Hades had stared at the tatty shreds of howler for a moment of astonishment before catapulting himself from his seat, it was one of the 'improved' howlers and he abruptly realised that there were going to be casualties if he didn't move. Those staff and students sufficiently recovered from the howler watched the heir curiously, but no one was puzzled for long as a large stone materialised in place of the howler and followed the flight path of Black's dive. The stone slammed heavily into the floor approximately half-way between Hades and the Gryffindor Table. The stone rested for a moment before giving an audible chuckle and crumbling into powder which spun away in its own private little storm.

"What..." McGonagal approached rather cautiously, Hades Black was not visibly injured and his two brothers were helping him to his feet.

"Daiyati was expressing his displeasure." Hades brushed himself down, straightened his robes, gave a nod to his brothers before turning and leaving the Great Hall amid a great hush. Fai'lo and Pluto Black had returned to their seats and after a moment McGonagal decided to follow their lead. She was starting to get a feeling that Hades Black was going to give her headaches the likes of which would make Sirius Black a pleasant memory.

**XXXXXX**

"What's he doing here?" Ron Weasley addressed his question to Hermione Granger since she always knew the answers.

"No idea." Hermione gave a small shrug as she eyed the boy lounging against the nearby wall. "Perhaps he's lost."

"No." Neville Longbottom gave a small shake of his head.

"How do you know?" Ron eyed the pudgy boy with annoyance.

"My Gran told me." Neville glanced up momentarily from rooting around in his bag. "She doesn't like Blacks and requested I be careful since I'd probably be sharing classes with him."

"But why is he a second year?" Hermione frowned.

"He sat the exams for first year and passed." Neville finally pulled a book out of his bag. "He's old enough to be a second year, just couldn't come last year because he was sick."

"Sick?" Ron gave a snort. "Who'd skip Hogwarts for a cold?"

"You are a fool, Weasley." Malfoy's dry tone caused the Gryffindors to look up in shock. Ron scowled at the blond Slytherin who was standing next to Black. Malfoy returned the favour with the support of three other Slytherins who'd already arrived.

"I still ask who'd miss Hogwarts for a cold?"

"I may have been sick, but there are other ailments than the common cold." Black's tone was rather chilly. "I'll keep it in mind that you consider yourself above a St Mungoes Quarantine next time I get that sick."

"You expect to?" Hermione seemed horrified.

"It's guaranteed." Black shifted slightly, glanced at Malfoy who had an extended hand and a smile. "Pestilential..." Black handed over a small black bag with a resigned shake of his head. "Longbottom." Black was now standing rigidly straight.

"Y-yes?" Neville had jumped slightly.

"I speak for our family and notify you that all Blacks are bound on behalf of your family. Our condolence that this act was taken too late, we trust by this act we may ease your time at Hogwarts. I personally will initiate a re-binding which you may witness should it be required."

"I thank you." Neville's voice was a whisper. "I shall notify my head of house and a re-binding will not be required. The word of the heir of House Black is sufficient for me."

"We shall endeavour not to disturb you." Black moved back into his comfortable slouch and closed his eyes, completely ignoring the Gryffindors who were confused and excited by the situation. Malfoy had given Longbottom a commiserative grimace, but they both knew that the matter had been dealt with in the best manner for all its publicity. The rumour mill would soon forget this little exchange and Malfoy was quite certain that if something didn't happen before breakfast tomorrow to shift the attention of the gossips off the Black-Longbottom interactions, Hades would make something happen.

"...dark magic..." Malfoy had no idea where Weasley's comment had come from but he had his own grim suspicions.

"Black." Malfoy had tapped a shoulder and jerked his head off down the corridor.

"What's up?" Hades' expression was vaguely enquiring as he settled again against the wall.

"How'd you annoy Weasley?"

"I was reading at breakfast and Granger decided I needed her to explain my book." Hades seemed more than a little tired. "She didn't take kindly to my refusal to even let her look at it. Weasley didn't take kindly to me upsetting her."

"Watch your step...Weasleys get nasty and if I heard that particular Weasel correctly he's decided you're into dark magic."

"He'd be right too." Hades gave a tired smile before he pushed off the wall. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Fai said to keep away from him and Pluto?"

"We're giving the houses a chance...we're hoping for neutrality among the first years." Hades gave a soft snort. "Keep an ear open for Green Harry though...I actually suspect they're going to need an object lesson in being thankful for the evils you know before they'll be neutral." Hades rubbed his face tiredly, he was feeling yesterday's travel rather badly this morning.

"Class is in." Draco jerked his head with a faint grin. "You owe Fai two, we're late."

"Sod." Hades moved swiftly into the room, grabbing a seat off to one side and resigning himself to a very unpleasant day.

**XXXXXX**

"Oh what a beautiful mor-or-ning, oh what a beautiful day." Sirius Black calmly ignored the fact that it was actually late evening, not morning at all, as he wended his way towards the castle, humming softly.

"Spike said you didn't need to worry abut this." The interruption was welcome and Black grinned widely at the small, green-tinged ghost who seemed to be walking beside him.

"Hullo, Harry...and neither you nor Spike need worry...this is purely a matter of politics, and I rather think I'm going to enjoy myself." Black hummed another filip of tune before he spun around in a slight curve. He was meant to be insane, the least he could do was enjoy himself at the expense of those rumours.

"But..."

"Harry, Spike is going to die of boredom...or destroy the school to alleviate said boredom unless he has something as a distraction...at least this distraction will be profitable in the long run...and not just in that it will keep Snape away." Black gave a shrug.

"You look good." Harry had begun spinning gently as he changed the topic.

"You are green and therefore anything would look good to you." Black gave the small ghost a grin. "What's it like with the boys here?"

"More fun, they actually talk to me." Harry gave a slight shiver.

"Oh, Harry." Black came to an abrupt halt and knelt before the small ghost, pulling it into the only sort of hug a ghost could be given. "I do not care what other people say or do, you will always be offered sanctuary by Blacks and Malfoys...you are family and don't you forget that."

"Are we?"

"Yes...don't you remember Christmas?"

"Oh." The little ghost shimmered slightly, before lightening and becoming slightly more tangible. Sirius Black could almost feel the child who was within his arms.

"I'll come as often as I can, Harry." Sirius got back to his feet and gave the ghost a little spin. Harry was giggling helplessly as they finished the last bit of path and entered the castle. Black settled his face into the expression which suited his purpose and his robes before heading towards the Headmaster's Office. The entire situation was intolerable and Dumbledore was going to give.

**XXXXXX**

"Black!" McGonagal swept into the Gryffindor commonroom with a frown. It was almost curfew and she was not happy.

"Dormitories, professor." Percy Weasley gave verbal information, but everyone else in the commonroom had simply pointed.

"Black!" McGonagal swept into the first-year boys dormitory.

"Professor?" Black appeared after a long moment, the wand in his hand indicating that he had probably been under wards and a heavily worn dark leather book provided the reason. McGonagal grimaced for she'd seen Severus reading that book often, it usually meant there had either been a bad explosion in the dungeons or there was going to be a bad explosion in the dungeons. It was a book that all staff of Hogwarts distrusted. Why a first year was reading such a book was a matter she'd investigate later. For now, she had a job to do.

"Your father says 'pack the usual' and apparently you are required somewhere else."

"Thankyou, Professor." Black placed the book in his trunk, pulled a bag out before closing the trunk and warding it heavily. Black then crossed to stand next to McGonagal. "I'm ready."

"Good." McGonagal swept away with Black in tow, she would have considered the Headmaster guilty of favouratism were it not that she knew the poor man was being leant on rather heavily by Black and Malfoy. It was a relatively minor concession to let one boy out of school when compared to the combined funding by the Black and Malfoy bloodlines. McGonagal did not approve of the situation though and she intented to make sure she adherred meticulously to the rules. Black might be a Gryffindor, but she mistrusted the situation because she's trusted a Gryffindor Black before and they were born opportunists. Strict but fair, she knew how the students spoke of her and she would live by that reputation in handling of Hades Black, Sirius Black would be given no excuses to threaten Hogwarts as he had.

"Thankyou, Minerva." Dumbledore had nodded his thanks before turning his attention to the boy who'd managed to cause so much chaos in barely twenty-four hours. "Mr Black, Professor Snape is here to escort you to whatever Head of House Black has deemed so essential for you to attend."

"Thankyou, sir." The manners were still slightly archaic and faultlessly polite, they gave Dumbledore a very bad feeling indeed.

"Black...we're late already." Snape stalked up to the boy, grabbed the bag and headed for the door. "You were needed an hour ago and this..." Snape died off into unintelligibility as the stairs descended and Dumbledore sank back in his seat as he considered the evening. When Snape had made a vague request for the eldest Black to be given special leave from classes Dumbledore had not thought twice about refusing, for the Blacks to have any chance to fit in with their peers they had to be as normal as possible and special leave for a student who had already skipped an entire year was not normal at all. That had been just before dinner. By the time Dumbledore had returned to his office after dinner he had over twenty letters waiting for him, the general gist of which was that if Hades Black wasn't given special leave than he, Dumbledore, had better start looking for another job. Dumbledore had been busy crafting his many responses and explanations when Black had come stomping up the stairs and put the matter in very plain English. No matter what language people spoke and what allegiances they claimed, everyone understood the tongue of money and Black was threatening the supply to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had been attempting to explain things to Black when Snape had come storming up the stairs...at which point Dumbledore had realised that he hadn't a hope in the current situation and he'd have to comply. If Dumbledore didn't issue the special leave, then Snape was going to stop brewing for the school, St Mungos and every other two bit idiot the Headmaster was wasting his skills on...apparently Black had access to ingredients Snape wanted but otherwise couldn't get, and Snape was not going to let the arguement over some two bit brat jeapardise that access. Dumbledore had somewhat reluctantly complied and sent McGonagal after the boy. Dumbledore had asked careful questions while they waited, seeking information on what access Black gave Snape, but neither man was drawn, which convinced Dumbldore that the access had to be illegal in nature...the matter would bear looking into since it might pull Black's teeth. Black had been far from subtle at drawing Dumbledore back onto topic and soon Snape was given the signed permission by Black, co-signed by the Headmaster, which allowed Snape to draw Hades Black out of class should he feel the need. Dumbledore was not happy with the situation, but there was nothing he could do for the time being.

**xxxxxx**

"Spike talking to you?" Draco Malfoy came rather carefully into the massive laboratory which was Severus Snape's private laboratory. Access to the room was severely restricted, and no one was allowed past the security wards without Snape's specific permission.

"We've been busy." Hades was cutting swiftly and confidently, his actions were meticulous and measured. To his left were four cauldrons which he was working.

"Spike." Snape came out of the store room with a scowl.

"Two measures left, I've been hoarding it." Hades swiftly swept his preparations into the applicable cauldrons.

"Damn!" Snape swirled around and stalked back into the storeroom.

"Spike?"

"No." Hades shoved a mortar and pestle and a jar of beetle eyes into Malfoy's hands. "Medium coarse." Hades was fishing through a jar of eyeballs with a displeased expression. "Master Snape!"

"What?" Snape swirled out of the store with an armload of jars.

"The fish-eyes are out of date." Hades jabbed at the eye-balls again. "The preservative has soaked into them."

"Damn!" Snape pinched his nose before grabbing the mortar from Malfoy and scowling at contents before quickly scattering pinches through the four cauldrons. "Dragon blood?"

"No...the ice later." Hades was watching the four cauldrons. "Salamander blood will cancel the worst part of the preservative."

"Also cancel the the active part of the pepper-up." Snape swept over to his own two cauldrons which seemed to bubble menacingly.

"Not if I also added newt blood."

"Valid...try it with one and stasis the others." Snape was working on his cauldrons rather cautiously.

"Spike?"

"What?" Hades had spelled three of the four cauldrons and was preparing the fourth rather gingerly.

"Pluto and Fai are getting pushed around a lot." Malfoy was silent for a minute. "As promised, Slytherin are remaining neutral for another two days...but you're going to have a big problem with the Gryffindors when you resume classes."

"Tell Spike and Fai I'll be available tonight." Hades had paused for the briefest of moments before he continued working with his cauldrons. Malfoy gave a curt nod and slipped from the room, whatever potion Hades Black was working on in four cauldrons, it was not pepper-up. Draco Malfoy had made pepper-up and it never appeared to be blood-red. Now, time to bring the Slytherins into the game, he had two days to plan...two days to figure out how to back two Blacks in other houses without any staff realising what was happening. Then, whenever Hades returned to a student existance, he could sit back and enjoy the war.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3:**

"Where have you been? You've missed two and a half weeks of classes and you'll have a hard time catching up again." Hermione Granger settled herself comfortably opposite Hades Black, and was prepared to help the boy. She was not prepared however for her efforts to be met by a cold eye and total silence. "I've kept a list of assignments for you and I can le..."

"I am not behind and do not require any help." Black's interruption was curt as he added more porridge to his bowl and settled back into his book.

"Honestly, there's no need to be so touchy, I was just offering to help."

"No Granger, you were condescending to the belief that I'm such a fool that I wouldn't have my own arrangements to ensure my ability to pass the year." Black looked up from his book coldly.

"Well, really." Hermione gave a huff, which she repeated when the small plane came screaming past her, wailing some banshee scream before it began to circle Hades' book. Hades snatched the plane from the air with a scowl, opened it and hastily dropped it on the table just before it turned into several scrolls covered in neat script.

"Spike." A boy in Ravenclaw robes dropped into the vacant seat next to Hades, who was scowling at the scrolls, and rapped him on the head. Whoever it was had to be a Black, no one else was stupid enough to approach a Black. There was also a familial resemblance in the black and silver hair and the distinct eye colour.

"What, Fai?" Hades continued to read through the scrolls.

"Malfoy said to say that he's collected the assignments which have been marked and you can get them off him when you get yesterday's class notes...though he suggests rather firmly that you consider doing that at a seemly hour this time."

"He's already sent me most of them." Hades indicated the stack of scrolls.

"That's not the class notes."

"Tell his Malfoy-ness that I'd like it if he brought them to lunch." Hades had looked up sharply and suddenly given a faint grin. "What did he actually say, Fai?"

"Errr..." Fai'lo Black shifted uncomfortably and glanced around the table. "It was kinda like what he said over summer."

"Which time?"

"The third time."

"Ah." Hades' eyes glinted with anticipation. "Do let him know that his message was safely delivered and if convenient he can bring the stuff to lunch."

"Will he hex me if I phrase it that way?" Fai'lo seemed worried.

"Shouldn't think so." Hades gave a shrug. "Tell Spike I'm fine and I'll see him next week."

"Will do." Fai'lo slipped off the bench, detoured via the Slytherin Table back to his own seat. Hades had resumed reading.

"What's an unseemly hour?" Ron eyed Black warily.

"Two-thirty ante-meridean...on the occasion in question."

"You woke Malfoy at two-thirty to get class notes?"

"No, I dropped a bucket of water on Malfoy after collecting my class notes from his desk...it just happened that the time was two-thirty." Black was clearly not interested in anything but his book and breakfast now, the scrolls had gone into his bag.

"You pranked Malfoy?" Two new voices, Black lowered his book to eye the owners sharply.

"No." Black resumed reading. "A prank has a humorous objective...unless it is simple bullying. Cold water in the early morning is not a prank."

"No, it's revenge." Malfoy had arrived. "Must you collect Weasels?"

"No." Black swung around and snapped his book shut. "They seem to be attempting to collect me."

"Poor you." Malfoy handed over a pile of parchments. "Snape said you'd be here this morning so I came prepared...oh, and you'll have to negotiate the potion situation."

"Already dealt with." Black was flipping through the scrolls of neat notes. "Thanks and I'll call us even...unless you object."

"Not a chance." Malfoy handed over one of the small black bags. "From last week."

"Ah." Black eyed the bag for a moment. "I'm going to end up with nearly all of it, aren't I?"

"I expect so." Malfoy gave a brief nod before moving away.

"Malfoy."

"What?"

"Ten that McGonagal doesn't give me a detention this week."

"Accepted...I presume I should warn the other two that you're to be accepted for all idiotic bets like that?"

"Preferably." Black settled back to finish off the last of his porridge. "Timetable, books, change and shower..." Black moved away mumbling to himself leaving a collection of bewildered Gryffindors behind him.

"Did we just get accused of attempting to collect a Black and not even make a noise about it?" Fred looked across at George rather enquiringly.

"Yes, we did." George gave a nod.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of that."

"I know I don't." George moved back to his original seat and two ginger heads bent down in close conversation. Ron snorted and then settled back with a smile. Hades Black was going to pay dearly for his impertinence. Hermione seemed torn between disapproval of the twins plotting and the fact that she wouldn't mind to see Black unsettled. The boy was too rude for words.

**XXXXXX**

"Have you even read up on today's lesson?" The voice of Hermione Granger caused Hades Black to close his eyes.

"Yes, Granger, I am prepared and no I do not require your help." Hades kept his attention firmly on the book he held.

"You haven't had your potions text open once, I've been watching you." Granger had come to a halt immediately infront of him.

"The potions text is not the only book with the requisite information contained within its covers." Hades flipped to a new page and vaguely hoped it would give Granger the hint to go away.

"You've already received two detentions and lost us twenty points."

"None of which were due to lack of preparation or failure to meet the academic requirements of the class." Hades finally lifted his head to glare at the girl. "Leave me alone, Granger."

"You'll..."

"Granger, when I want your help, I shall ask for it...otherwise permit me to wallow in my ignorance." Hades closed his book and slid it into his bag before he shuffled into the potions classroom and took the seat as far as it was possible to get from Snape. The position was also almost as far from Granger.

Snape's arrival made the silence become utterly dead, he swept to the front of the class and had a potion scribbled up on the board by the time he swung to face the class. Snape stared at the small group for a moment. "Mr Malfoy, you're with Black today."

"Yes, sir." Malfoy grimaced faintly, but said nothing else as he began packing his things up again.

"Sir."

"Miss Granger?" Snape's tone was rather arctic.

"You forbade interhouse partnerships last year."

"Ten points from Gryffindor, do not question a professor in future." The words would have shattered had they hit the floor.

"But sir, you said we were not to work outside of our houses while in potions class."

"Am I to understand that you are volunteering partner Mr Black?" Something had flickered far back in Snape's eyes and Malfoy had stopped his packing. The entire dungeon was waiting to hear Granger's reply.

"Yes, sir." Granger had repacked her things in seconds and practically skipped to take the seat at the back of the room.

"Very well, Mr Malfoy, it's your job to ensure Mr Longbottom doesn't blow us up." Snape turned back to inspect the board for a moment.

"Very good, sir." Malfoy finished packing his things and sank into the seat Granger had vacated with a cheerful smile. Longbottom was on the verge of panic.

Hermione Granger had lost her cheerfulness by the time she'd reached the seat she sought. Malfoy's relief had confused her, she'd actually thought that Black and Malfoy were friends. She was also confused because Black had apparently ignored the entire exchange and he certainly wasn't looking relieved to see her. Black was already working on something, though it seemed to be simply adding miniscule amounts of water to a cauldron which already held water. Between additions to the cauldron Black was grinding something into a very fine powder indeed.

"Today's lesson is on the Salvus Potion." Snape was pacing slowly at the front of the room. "This potion is not a healing potion, it is infact completely useless unless you are an Herbologist who is doing greenhouse recovery. Instructions are on the board and I will not be happy if anything blows up today." Snape's scowl was focussed on the front station. "Move."

"Shall I..." Granger had been intending to offer to go get the ingredients for the potion, then realised that Black already had an array of potions spread across the station.

"Don't touch that!" Black hadn't even glanced up from his grinding when he'd snapped at her. Granger's hand snapped back from the vial she'd been going to rearrange so the label could be read.

"But..." Granger stumbled as Black irritably pushed passed her to get at the cauldron. He sprinkled the fine powder very carefully across the surface of the gently boiling water.

"No, no, no." Black had grabbed his quill, quickly swiping it over the surface and retrieving almost all of the powder which had been spread over the water. What powder he missed was adhering to the edge of the cauldron.

"Sir!" Granger was halfway across the room with her arm waving wildly almost before she realised it.

"Sit down, Miss Granger." Snape's tone was vicious as he hastily flung something into two cauldrons which were nearby before turning his attention to Malfoy. "You better have that under control."

"Yes, sir." Malfoy was ignoring the commotion and working carefully at the cauldron, Longbottom was sitting with his textbook and looking scared.

"Sit down, Miss Granger, you are not a classical conductor. Twenty points from Gryffindor and detention for creating a distracting scene in a volatile situation." Snape ran his eye over the rest of the class before he refixed his attention on the girl.

"But sir, Black's not following the instructions."

"Five points for questioning my control of this classroom." Snape loomed over the girl. "Of course Black is doing something else, I'm not wasting skill of that calibre on pointless class potions any imbecile can manage."

"But sir..."

"Five more points and if you do not sit down right now it will be another detention...you also have two feet of essay due tomorrow on the potion Black is currently working on." Snape whirled away as Granger crumpled back into her chair.

"Sir." The soft tone of Black brought Snape's attention back to the station.

"What?" Snape's scowl didn't lift.

"Fine ground?" Black proferred a mortar for inspection.

"Last lot clumped, didn't it." Snape prodded the fine grey powder with a dark frown.

"Yes, sir." Black was calm. "Insufficient grinding and insufficient dilution of the aloe compound."

"Should be good." Snape handed the mortar back. Black turned his attention back to the cauldron he'd been working at. "Stage two calculations by lunch."

"Yes, sir." Black had finished adding the powder and after a long moment of frowning he stepped back from the cauldron and began scribbling on bit of parchment. Snape's scowl got all the others bent back over their cauldrons and working again.

**XXXXXX**

"You could at least help her." Ron Weasley gave Black an irritable shove, this was the fifth time he'd addressed the boy on the topic and he was fed up with being ignored.

"Just a moment." Hades scribbled a couple of peculiar heiroglyphics on a nearby parchment, laid his quill aside and then looked up. "You wanted my attention?"

"I want to know why you won't help Hermione." Ron scowled. "It's your fault she has the essay to write."

"Why?" Hades' expression was politely inquisitive.

"Wh...Sh..." Ron spluttered unintelligibly.

"Granger deliberately insulted Professor Snape twice. Granger deliberately and maliciously endeavoured to get me into diabolical strife. Add Granger's condescending attitude of perfection to that and I'd like to see you justify why I should help her." Hades' tone was rather lethal.

"I wasn't..." Hermione had come across the room, somehow hoping this horrible boy would help her.

"Wasn't what?" Hades scowled at her. "Trying to insult Snape...or trying to get me into trouble."

"Either."

"Well you were almost successful at both." Hades suddenly stood up. "Just what was your intention then when you jumped halfway across the room and shrieked that I wasn't following instructions?" Hades' scowl darkened. "Think he was going to kiss me and award points? Snape is very particular about knowing everything that occurs in his dungeon."

"But..."

"Perhaps you're hoping that if you get me in enough trouble I'll be demoted back to first year and you'll get to maintain your tenuous grasp on the position of fifth in the class." Hades looked around the room for a moment and then smirked in an unpleasantly Slytherin manner. "Aqua pura, aloe, crushed beetle legs and fine ground ashwinder eggs. Someone tell the fool what that potion is for...and while you're at it tell her to keep her trap shut next time Professor Snape sends Malfoy to work at my station." Hades swirled around and stalked off to the first year's dormitory where he flopped inelegantly on his bed and scowled up at the scarlet hangings, which really did make him feel nauseous when he was in this sort of mood.

"You do have a talent for trouble." The quiet voice came from the door, causing Hades to bolt upright with a hiss and a clutch at his wand. The curse was not launched before Hades succeeded in recognising his visitor and he managed to swallow the curse unfired. It was Oliver Wood, maniac Quidditch Captain and sixth year.

"This house has a talent for idiots." Hades pushed his hair out of his eyes and then rubbed his face. "Am I officially banished already?"

"No, they're too busy trying to think of a potion using your mentioned ingredients." Wood seemed unconcerned and even smiled. "One has to commend the Professor's sense of humour...but I will regret our points loss."

"A guess?" Hades' brows rose slightly.

"No." Wood snorted. "It has to be a joke for Professor Snape to set an essay about absolutely nothing."

"How do you figure that?"

"Water, aloe, beetle legs and ashwinder eggs in any form are not a potion. They may form part of a potion, but they are not a potion of their own accord." Wood shrugged. "It smokes, probably useful for battle potions...possibly healing potions as well." Wood scratched his head. "Snape specified an essay on the potion...she'll lose us points if she does anything except hand nothing in."

"I appologise if I ever insulted you." Hades abruptly rose to his feet and held out a hand. "Spike Black."

"Oliver Wood." Wood shook the proferred hand firmly. "Play Quidditch?"

"Seeker is my specialty." Hades shrugged rather indifferently, it wouldn't matter because he was officially first year, even if he was in classes with the second years. "I can manage Chaser in a scratch match though."

"You are coming with me." Oliver Wood was gone, replaced by the manic Quidditch Captain.

"Right." Hades pulled his shoes back on and sighed tiredly before following Wood down into, and through, the suddenly silent Common Room. Wood was not going to be happy when Professor McGonagall knocked back his proposition, but Spike had no illusions about the magical world, and having been forced to promote him an entire year and give him special circumstances, they would not be willing to bend any rules for the convenience of Spike Black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4:**

Ginny Weasley was stuck. For three and a half weeks now she'd been struggling by as best she could, but with two failed essays, potions which were disasters and failing to complete any spellwork properly she was now ready to accept defeat...she was a failure...and even worse she was such a total failure that her brother's wouldn't even talk to her. She'd tried talking to the professors, but none of them ever had time to talk. She'd even tried to talk to Professor Snape, though his stare did make her feel like a semi-squashed and totally pointless beetle. 'Later, Miss Weasley' was the usual response, though Professor Snape hadn't said anything at all and stared silently at her until she fled. That was when she'd met the little ghost called Harry.

"Hogwarts told me to say 'hullo'."

"Uh." Ginny had whipped around wand in hand and so close to terrified that her mind didn't consider the fact that she was worse than useless with a wand. Behind her was drifting a ghost...a ghost who was smaller than her and rather green...actually green in colour, not just the green of his Slytherin crest and trim. It was quite a nice green which reminded her of grass and new growth...but it was still green, and ghosts did not come in green. "You're green." It was the stupidest thing she could have said and yet it was the only thing which her tongue was able to manage.

"Mm-hmm. Green Harry...Hogwarts likes you."

"Eh..." It was more of a gurgle than a noise and Ginny squinted at the little ghost. "Harry? I'm Ginny."

"Luna's friend." It came after a moment of pondering silence and then Harry brightened noticeably. "I now have two friends who aren't family or Slytherin." Harry turned a couple of somersaults.

"Where are you taking me?" Ginny had just noticed that they were in a new corridor.

"Back to where you know." Harry came to a halt at a corner. "Just around the corner and you'll know where you are...but two things first."

"Mm-hmm?" Ginny blinked at the ghost.

"First, Hogwarts thinks you should tell someone about your diary...we can't do it for you and we can't blab on you...but Hogwarts thinks you should tell someone."

"Two?" Ginny was feeling antsy over the mention of her diary. Tom was a secret.

"Two...ask Spike about your Potions...he won't answer immediately, but he will help."

"Thanks, Harry." Ginny smiled at the little ghost before she reluctantly stepped around the corner. Harry was right, she did know where she was, and in return she set her teeth and had asked Hades Black for help with potions. That had won her a blink and a rather dismissive wave. That entire incident had resulted in the here and now, which was sitting next to the commonroom fire and totally convinced that a tactical retreat to the Burrow and obscurity was a good idea.

"Read that page." The curt growl and the battered book shoved abruptly under her nose startled Ginny out of her defeated thoughts.

"Wha..." Ginny found herself staring into the pale blue eyes of Hades Black. A quick glance around the commonroom verified that none of her four siblings was within the room, they'd made it more than clear that they did not like Hades Black...and that initial dislike had only grown when they'd failed to land a single prank of the boy.

"Read." Black had grabbed her stack of essays and was skimming through them. Ginny stared at the boy for a moment longer before she warily began to follow his instruction and began to read. The wariness didn't last the first paragraph as she realised what had been handed to her. The page laid out in very bleak facts the main points which would have to be covered in her essay for potions.

"Don't turn the page." The order came back with her first essay and a half page of notes. Ginny had just finished the page and had been considering whether to turn the page or not, she had scribbled herself some dozen points to do further research on.

"Why?" Ginny blinked first at the boy and then at the half page of notes he'd made on her essay. There wasn't a single letter about the factual content of her essay, he'd simply pointed out the technical defects in her essay writing habits and cross-referenced numbers he'd written on her essay to indicate information which was in the wrong place. It was nothing she hadn't seen in one form or another before, but all together it suddenly made sense.

"Your brothers would disapprove of you turning the page." Black handed back the last three essays he'd taken, all similarly annotated. "Re-write, re-submit...should only take you an hour since you've done the research. They won't change your grade, but it should help you to know what your research is actually worth when not compromised by poor writing technique. Never write more than is asked for, try never to write less...though they'll be more accepting of an underlength essay than large handwriting, professors are not stupid. Essays are a receipe and boring, it's the research which makes them useful...but make certain you can quote at least two, if not three books, to support any point you consider to be fact." Black grabbed his book back and retreated to his usual windowsill just before an arriving cluster brought in a couple of Weasleys. Ginny wasted a few moments staring speculatively at the Black before she grabbed her quill and followed his advice of re-writing her essays. By the end of her second she understood exactly what he meant about essays being a boring receipe, by the end of the fifth she knew she was never going to forget how to write an essay. A tour of the school, three of the five professors had asked her to wait and marked them immediately, the two who didn't had her for morning classes the next day. Then a quick trip to the library before she had to race for the Great Hall to get dinner.

"Lee said Black was bothering you...need us to hex him?" It was Fred who sat down with a crash beside her.

"Like that's worked so well for the past week." Ginny scowled at her brother, who actually flinched at the reminder of just how un-prankable Hades Black was. Two hours ago she would have been euphoric that one of them had chosen to speak to her, but now she was just plain mad at them. It had taken a Black and a blabber-mouth for them to remember her existance.

"Seriously, Gin...do you want us to stop the boy bothering you?" George had arrived with a grumpy Ron.

"Considering he's the only person who has voluntarily spoken to me in three and a half weeks no, I don't want you going near him. I..." Ginny stopped as several rolls of parchment dropped next to her plate.

"Don't alienate family, Brandy-snap, even if you are mad at them." Hades Black gave a nod towards the pile of parchment. "The safe pages."

"What do you want?" Ron's tone was belligerant.

"Nothing." Black had already stepped back. "She asked a question, I've turned over the most useful answer." Black was gone.

"You asked him a question?" There had been a moment of gobsmacked silence before the four boys had turned on their little sister. "He's a Black!"

"He's the only person who had the time to answer my question." Ginny took a moment to look through the parchment she'd been given, ink barely dry and the hand rather scrabbly. Hades Black had taken the time, or found someone to take the time, to copy out the 'safe' pages of whatever that book was he'd let her read a page from. Ginny cast a quick glance at the two remaining Blacks in the Great Hall and won a faint smile from the Ravenclaw Black...he was friends with Luna...maybe she didn't need to only make friends in Gryffindor.

"Give." Percy had simply grabbed the parchment from her hand and began to read it.

"Happy now?" Ginny had snatched the parchments back the moment Percy's grip loosened on it. "Have you finished snooping into my life? or should I wait for mum's howler because you've blabbed that I spoke with a Black?" Ginny's glare deepened at the guilty looks her brother's exchanged. "Do enjoy your own howlers when I tell mum it took three and a half weeks and a Black before you'ld even acknowledge that I existed!" Ginny shoved the parchment into her bag and stormed off.

"Did we ignore her for three weeks?" Fred looked at George.

"I though Percy was looking after her." George frowned at the older brother.

"Ron's the youngest and I've got to study." Percy's expression was irritated.

"I'm not babying my little sister, the guys would never let me live it down." Ron had gone red and was scowling at the other three.

"Paraphased, that means yes, you so totally ignored your own flesh and blood that she turned to a Black and risked family wrath because she felt she had no other options." The quiet voice startled the four and they turned with a scowl, which only darkened when they realised it was the Ravenclaw Black. "I suggest you spend time with your sister rather than wasting your time trying to prank Spike." A brief nod and Black had crossed to speak to his brother at the Hufflepuff table.

"We'll have to keep an eye on her...I think she's mad enough to actually make friends with them." George spoke after a moment. "Me and Fred can help her with Potions and Herbology...they've always been her weakest point. Perce, help her with history, you're the only one of us who can keep awake with Binns. Ron, we don't give a damn about the rest of your dorm, play at least one game with her every night...she was getting the hang of chess alright when we started so she's got to be decent now."

"But..." Ron began to protest, then collapsed, keeping his sister away from Black was far more important than what his dorm mates thought of him...though now he thought of it, he had no idea why he'd worried at all, there was only Seamus and Neville in his dorm. "I'll ask Hermione to help with Charms and Transfiguration...I'll work defence with her over chess."

**XXXXXX**

"Drink?" Sirius Black had taken half a glance at the man in his study before he made the offer.

"Of what?" Lucius Malfoy's expression was one of pure suspicion.

"Firewhiskey...but I'm sure I can find some more death-inducing decoction if you so desire." Sirius paused for a moment. "I can also offer Butterbeer and Sprite."

"What?" Lucius blinked and then stared at Black.

"It's a muggle...drink." Sirius had chosen his word after a moment of thought. "Flavourless, sweet and bubbly."

"Sprite, please." Lucius had hesitated for a long moment before he finally made his request.

"A Malfoy going muggle?" Sirius' eyebrow shot for his hairline, but he moved quickly for all that to the small box which contained all fluid refreshments.

"I don't wish to get drunk." Lucius eyed the bubbly mugfull he was offered before he took it.

"Butterbeer would save the muggle aspect...and there's also pumpkin juice or water."

"All three are part of Hogwarts."

"Interesting." Sirius slumped down into his usual chair with his own mug of sprite, it was not his favourite drink, but he was feeling cautious this evening.

"You're correct." Lucius gave a faint grimace. "Flavourless, sweet and bubbly."

"I could add a currant juice to it...which is how the boys usually consume it."

"I'll stick with my current daring and save that for another day." Lucius took another small sip. "May I ask you a question?"

"Ask away...but as usual I reserve the right to not answer, throw a tantrum, or throw you out as possible responses to the question."

"Have you ever looked back on your eighteen year-old self and wondered how you could possibly have been so stupid?"

"Sixteen is where I usually look for that." Sirius glanced at his drink in some thought but decided to not modify it yet. "I must also admit that it's usually awe that I was that stupid...followed by a nasty thought of what I'll think of myself in fifteen years time."

"History is merciless." Lucius finally sank into one of the other chairs.

"That is very true." The silence hung for several minutes before Sirius finally stirred to break it once more. "The Dark Lord?"

"The end cost is less if I resume my position within his...shadow." Lucius' tone was distasteful.

"Draco and Narcissa?" Sirius was silent for a very long moment before he spoke.

"Draco and Narcissa." Lucius downed the last of his sprite in one gulp. "Severus introduced you to his 'something stronger than water'?"

"I presume you exercise deliberate ignorance." Sirius bent over the drinks box and carefully fixed a drink for Lucius, taking extreme care to keep the bottles out of sight. Lucius' final conclusion was that Black did not remove the labels from bottles he did not want identified...not that Black had that particular issue. "Not what Snape offers." Sirius offered the drink calmly. "Stronger, a lot classier...but of similar description."

"Something stronger than water." Lucius accepted the glass with a faint smile and inhaled for a moment before he settled back in his seat to nurse the glass.

"Three of those and I wouldn't advise apparating." Sirius took a moment to mix his own drink before he settled back.

"Stronger than firewhiskey...interesting." Lucius took a careful sip before tilting his head to one side in thought. "I do believe your Uncle Alphard stocked this drink."

"I promise you, I didn't develop the taste for it from my father." Sirius gave a soft snort.

"I worry about security." Lucius sipped his drink again, his gaze blindly focussed on the mantlepiece. "I also fear that my ability to pass your wards makes you and the boys vulnerable."

"Ahh." Sirius Black was staring at the same mantlepiece. It was an obnoxious piece in a house which was predominantly notable for its cleanliness of lines and elegant simplicity. "I suggest you never try to bring someone with you when you come...I also suggest that you never even consider trying to leave this room unless your wife or son are with you and have already passed into the rest of the house."

"Ahh." Lucius pondered his own memories for a long moment before conceding that he had never tried to leave this room unless visiting with at least one other member of his family. "I still worry about security. You make no secret of your disapproval of the Dark Lord even if you have about the same opinion of Dumbledore. What if I say something to you unintentionally?"

"I swear on my life and magic that I shall speak no word of any sensitive matter which you mention in my presence to another without your permission."

"Thankyou." Lucius' attention remained fixed on the mantlepiece and Sirius Black shifted his attention to his own boots.

"Got to love Slytherins." Sirius abruptly stretched up and then grinned. "Changing the topic to matters of estate management...you still got that crazy elf issue?"

"Yes." Lucius' eyes narrowed. "I would slaughter that brother of yours if he wasn't already dead...repulsive, cringing..." It died away to an indistinguishable mumble.

"Hades suggested that it might be rehabilitated if you changed its job."

"Oh?" Lucius' expression was wary.

"Put it in charge of your 'non-estate' office. There's nothing pertinent to Malfoys to be found there...if it's anything like mine it's simply a storage place for unwanted mail. It will reduce his interaction with the other Malfoy elves and give it a feeling of importance...Kreacher can probably help as well."

"I will consider the suggestion." Lucius returned his attention to his drink and the conversation turned to the Ministry of Magic and Wizengamot.

**XXXXXX**

The Gryffindor Quidditch team had seen many things when it came to Oliver Wood and the sport, but to see him arguing with Professor McGonagall was a new one. It fully explained Wood's recent slew of detentions which had forced a training cancellation twice in the previous week. No one had been happy with the cancellations, they knew they had a weak Seeker, which meant that the rest of the team had to play that much better to keep them competitive.

"No, Mr Wood!" McGonagal finally raised her voice to yell back her captain. "Unless you wish to surrender the captaincy and be on detention for the entire year you will accept the situation and cease this pointless arguement. Only second years are permitted to join." McGonagal departed and a rather sullen Wood approached his team.

"What's the fight about?" Fred glanced up from lacing his wrist guards.

"Players." Wood dug his kit out of his bag. "The only way that Ravenclaw isn't going to slaughter the lot of us from next year onwards is if they're fool enough to run Chang for political reasons. I found a seeker, he's good, but McGonagal says no."

"You want Black as Seeker?" George had frozen, one hand half-lifted in preparation of grabbing something else from his bag.

"Black, as a Seeker, says he's 'not bad'...I'm telling you I haven't seen anyone catch a snitch that fast since Charlie. Black says he's not bad because his brother is better...Black does not strike me as the type to volunteer a brother as better without a very good cause."

"What about the Hufflepuff?"

"No idea...but as a scratch Chaser he's too good not to have been playing against a very promising keeper. My guess is that Hades and Fai'lo trade off the Seeker and Chaser positions a..." Whatever Oliver had been going to say was lost in a groan.

"Wha...Slytherins." Fred had whipped around to see what had caught Wood's attention. Irritation soon changed to anger though as Flint produced his permission to oust Gryffindor from their training and from then the crowd grew.

"At least some people don't need to buy their way onto the team." The comment and sniff fell into one of those odd moments of lull and Wood exchanged a glance with Flint, at this rate no one was going to get to train and half of them would probably end up in the hospital wing.

"Why you..." Whatever Draco Malfoy had been going to respond was lost and swallowed in the face of a dry observation from well to one side.

"For someone who prides herself on behaving well, that comment was crass and in incredibly poor taste, Granger." The entire crowd had turned to where the three Black brothers stood leaning against the broomshed.

"Who asked your opinion?"

"No one, but since she made her comment in the public environment I saw no restrictions on my decision to respond." It came with a 'kind' smile.

"Bloody Slytherin-loving dark wizard." Ron would have turned around and stalked off at that point but that the crowd prevented such an action.

"Spike...I think he meant to insult you with that comment." The observation was made by Pluto Black after a tense moment. Well, tense in that the crowd were waiting for a fight, Hades Black had apparently not heard the insult thrown at him and had resumed reading, though how he'd not heard it when he'd heard Granger's original comment was beyond anyone.

"If that was meant to be an insult then he desperately needs some lessons...either that or he needs to grow a brain." Spike didn't even look up from his book.

"Why do you not consider being called a Slytherin-loving dark wizard an insult?" Granger seemed curious.

"Technically he referred to me as a bloody Slytherin-loving dark wizard...and regardless of the fact that Gryffindors tend to frown upon the dark wizard thing, I would have thought they'd approve of anything which hampered the physical health of Slytherins. If you prefer the assumption that he was using the term bloody as an epithet...well, there's technically nothing to be insulted about." Hades had lowered his book and he gave the crowd a bit of a look.

"He called you a dark wizard." Granger seemed on the verge of tears...again.

"And?" Black lifted an eyebrow, before rolling his eyes at the snickering Slytherins.

"I...they...you..."

"You're spluttering, Granger...and what you've just demonstrated ample ignorance of is the fact that as a Black I am a dark wizard. I am also the descendant of Dark Lord supporters and Death Eater spawn...infact we also supported Grindlewald and the half-dozen other dark lords you're unlikely to learn about due to Binns' disinterest in military history...I think we've got three in the direct line and blood relation to at least seven others...oh, and that Dark Lady in the fifteenth century...she was a Weasley by birth, but her mother was a Black. Technically I would say that all thirty-eight generations have been dark lords...but that's a touchy matter of semantics I should bring up for clarification with Daiyati. The fact that there are only eight Blacks in the last nine generations who haven't been Slytherin guarantees that we do not disapprove of Slytherins as a whole. So, to call me a bloody Slytherin-loving dark wizard is a statement of fact, not an insult...and as for not using bloody as an epithet...well, there's nothing quite like the flow of fresh blood."

"You're disgusting." The mumble came from somewhere in the rapidly departing crowd.

"I do appologise, Captains." Black pushed off the wall. "I seem to have scared your audience off...other than that I suggest training together for today. Both Seekers need game time experience...and what better time to get it since they won't have a major audience and it's too early in the season to be trying your secret plays with any success at all." Hades Black and his brothers moved off with that, leaving the two Quidditch teams to eye each other and the two captains to growl and concede the point. It would be good training and it did come with the advantage that neither side would be giving much away that hadn't already been given away the previous year.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5:**

"Tippy?" Albus Dumbledore stared at the elf which was usually an invisible asset to his life.

"Headmaster." Tippy was shuffling very uneasily.

"Can I..."

"Oh, Tippy was just uneasy." The elf hesitated. "Black Elf Kreacher was chatting with Happy."

"How interesting." Dumbledore managed to swallow his wild interest.

"Happy was asking after a Malfoy Elf who's apparently been promoted recently. Black Elf Kreacher was saying as how Malfoy Elf had overheard Master Malfoy speaking of the wards of Azkaban. Black Elf Kreacher was speaking of Master Black having mentioned that the wards have no defense against transfiguration...Tippy is worried, Headmaster...Tippy did not mean to gossip, but is a Black Elf allowed in Hogwarts?"

"All house elves are permitted to visit family." Dumbledore chose his words carefully. "I would thank you to pass on anything you hear from the Black Elf Kreacher. It is wise to know what concerns those outside."

"Tippy hears Headmaster and will see what he can do." Tippy abruptly became his invisible and useful self and Dumbledore sank carefully into his seat and pondered why the lack of transfiguration wards was a vulnerability in Azkaban.

**XXXXXX**

"Kreacher lets horrible master know that nasty headmaster knows of the weakness in Azkaban."

"Thankyou, Kreacher." Sirius still hadn't decided whether Kreacher insulted him deliberately, or as part of that twisted elf's potentially twisted sense of humour. Either option was equally likely and Sirius had a feeling that he would never know the real answer to that...quite possibly Kreacher didn't know the real answer to that. On the whole it was better to assume a twisted sense of humour and simply enjoy just how offensive Kreacher could seem without saying anything which couldn't be construed as the mispronunciation so chronic of that race.

**XXXXXX**

"Mr Black, we have been fielding complaints about you from students and the parents of students from all four houses." Albus Dumbledore studied the boy with some thought, it was a little over a month into the school year and by now most students were settled.

"Just complaints? Malfoy was certainly muttering about legal action the last I heard."

"Why would Mr Malfoy, who I thought was your friend, consider legal action?"

"Because I said a Weasley had been a Dark Lady in the fifteenth century...he likes believing that the Weasley's are incompetent light wizards, over the knowledge that they're self-righteous idiots who haven't been able to keep a household together in five hundred years."

"That insult is quite uncalled for." Minerva was frowning.

"It's not an insult, it's an historically recorded fact. Technically it is a definition...though you'ld have to thank Daiyati for the updates to idiots."

"Spike, the complaints have been that we've admitted a vampire into the school." Snape rolled his eyes before he spoke.

"That is definitely not my fault." Hades abruptly sat down. "I refuse to take responsibility for their insanity and over-active imaginations."

"You are claiming not to have said you liked the taste of human blood?"

"The only thing I have said with regard to blood outside of potion classes was during an exchange down near the Quidditch pitch a couple of days ago. It was with regard to having been called a bloody Slytherin-lover. My observation was that there was nothing quite like the flow of fresh blood. It is not my problem they decided to get nauseated without enquiring as to the source or application of that blood. Fresh blood moves very differently to stored blood. Infact it is a well-proven fact that it is often better to use entirely the wrong sort of blood in a potion rather than stored blood."

"All of this is completely off topic." Snape was looking almost amused.

"There's another problem?" Hades eyed the Potion's Master curiously.

"Apparently you've been making Miss Granger cry and the majority of the staff seem to think you should be persuaded to stop making her cry."

"Miss Granger's tears are objectionable." Hades scowled. "Suggest a reasonable solution...or at the very least a solution which does not result in me being forced to allow her interruptions and interference in my private affairs and I will be quite willing to try it."

"That sounds like you do not consider her tears to be your fault." Snape was looking genuinely curious.

"How can you causing someone to cry not be your fault?" Sprout was visibly perplexed.

"I have made it clear that I do not like being disturbed when I am reading." Hades' eyes narrowed slightly. "I have three layers of light wards around myself when I am reading which block magical passage and resist human passage, but have no effect on directed conversation. Miss Granger insists on penetrating those wards and interrupting my reading with idiotic and erroneous statements and criticisms. Under the circumstances I consider her tears to not be my fault. If Miss Granger doesn't wish to cry, then Miss Granger can simply refrain from interrupting me when I am otherwise occupied."

"Spike." Snape was frowning. "My books..."

"Never leave my dormitory and are under the heaviest wards Daiyati can tie to their erroneous dust covers." Hades gave a brief grin. "Her main objections are to my history text."

"Is that the one..."

"Yes." Hades gave a brief snicker.

"Could someone translate that exchange?" Dumbledore eyed Snape pointedly.

"Hades Black would probably have petitioned for entry directly into third year but for the minor problem that he failed second-year History of Magic." Snape scowled briefly at a thoroughly unrepentant Hades. "Sirius Black decided it would be funny to charm Spike's text book for that subject."

"This is probably more explanatory." Hades pulled the thick history of magic text from his bag and dropped it on the table. It seemed like a perfectly normal text book until Hades picked it up, opened it and made as if to read.

"Someone actually decided he was...appropriate to..." McGonagal was the first to recover her powers of speech.

"Nothing of the sort. Even Sirius makes no claim to being an appropriate guardian. However he is more than willing to explain what he will do if the Ministry even attempt to remove my brothers and myself from his care for anything less than our own personal appeal." Hades put the book away again and gave a nasty little smile which was unbelieveably Slytherin. "That, by the way is a novel use of a standard secrecy charm mixed with a revulsion ward...and I've yet to see anyone over fifth year not stare with a rather alarmed concern...except for Sirius, but I am of the view that Azkaban is mostly to blame for the fact that he laughs when he sees the book. Miss Granger currently sees it to be a tatty copy of exactly what it is...I can't wait to hear what she thinks I'm reading when she's a bit older."

"I suspect the entire school will hear her when that day comes." Snape's response to the book had been muted, but then again he had known exactly what was on the book. "Has Binns seen it?"

"I didn't want to find out if ghosts could have heart-attacks." Hades gave a small grin.

"Why hasn't someone removed the charms?" Dumbledore was frowning again.

"One, because Spike finds entertainment in the varied responses to the book and so actually has studied some History of Magic since the book was improved." Snape gave a soft snort. "The other reason is that Black tied the magic...and no Black has yet been persuaded to utilise their own knowledge of the family magics to reverse the charms. Nothing tried has shifted the charms yet...infact the book gets quite a bit more explicit for a while if someone does try to disrupt the spells...but don't take my word for it, have a try...I've got several galleons on the fact that no one will remain composed when faced by it." Snape had no intention of letting anyone know that Black's tie, magically simple, was the secret behind the Slytherin second-year's warded text books. Black had supplied the means to cast the spell, but sensibly refused to reveal anything on how to break the spell...the tie itself discouraged study of its nature.

"Mr Black, please try to restrain yourself around Miss Granger. We also request you refrain from preaching politics in future."

"Very well." Hades Black nodded curtly and was gone, leaving the staff to exchange looks.

"Severus." It was Flitwick who eventually vocalised at all.

"Filius?" Snape looked away from what had been an intent study of the corner of Minerva's desk.

"You indicated that Mr Black was held back by History of Magic."

"And?" Snape's eyes had narrowed.

"My Mr Black does not appear challenged by his classes. The third Mr Black doesn't appear particularly challenged in Charms. What do you know of their skill level?"

"The Blacks have challenges which restrict them in fields which are not academic." Snape chose his words carefully. "I suggest you permit them to pursue their chosen goals."

"Could you expand upon that?" Filius seemed rather wary.

"Hades Black is the most advanced of the three...for all he ended up in Gryffindor." Snape took a moment to scowl at McGonagal. "History of Magic is the only core subject he does not already have his OWL for. He has his Potions NEWT already, which is why I have him working on his apprenticeship. Pluto Black has only half of his OWLs to date...he didn't even manage to pass first year history, but his strengths lie in the wand subjects...in particular his taste is for defense...he kept a boggart as a pet during the summer, just to give you some idea of his skills."

"Fai'lo?" Flitwick's query seemed almost worried.

"Fai'lo Black is one to watch." Snape actually smiled. "The boy is a menace with a wand and he's even worse with applied subjects like Herbology and Potions. He's a bit ahead of his year due to his brother's, but nothing particularly special about him academically speaking...though he shows promise with Arithmancy which may or may not pan out."

"Outside of academics?" Sprout's eyes had narrowed. "I tell you right now that a Ravenclaw with no inclination for the academic I find very difficult to swallow."

"I have never found a requirement for academic excellence in the groundlaws of Ravenclaw...it is just highly probable given their inclinations...and I never said he disliked books or learning."

"What is his specialty then?"

"He'll be with Poppy instead of doing electives for third year and beyond...probably start working with Mungoes in his fifth year." Snape was silent for a moment. "The rest I leave to the Blacks to explain should they so choose. It is not my place to speak of what truly makes Fai'lo Black unique." Snape eyed his fellow teachers for a long moment. "The boy is no threat to you..."

"This secret why Pluto kept protecting Fai'lo from any spells?" Sprout was suddenly looking very curious indeed.

"Sprout?" Snape knew exactly what the pudgy witch was referring to, but he was going to force the point.

"For the first couple of weeks, before Hades returned to classes the students were a bit rough..." Sprout had actually gone a bit pink. "I noticed the Pluto was stepping between any spell and his brother...never knew why though."

"Fai'lo Black is even more immune to magic than Potter was and they're not taking the chance of letting the student body find out and panic." Snape abruptly rose to his feet and headed for the door. "One sniff of trouble even vaguely reminiscent of the Potter Paranoia from last year and Black will not only remove his wards from this school, but he will remove the Blacks from our world altogether...and believe me when I say we cannot survive without them...particularly considering who has come back." The door slammed in a decidedly satisfactory manner for once and Severus Snape suddenly knew exactly what he was going to spring on Hades Black next. Even that bloody Gryffindor wouldn't be able to wiggle out of this one without one hell of a lot of work.

**XXXXXX**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6:**

"Longbottom." Snape had eyed the class for a long and silent moment before he barked out the name.

"Sir?" It was more of a whimper then a reply and for another moment Snape hesitated.

"You're with Black from now on." Snape finally set the day's potion on the board. "If he says jump, then you jump. For now, go sit next to him and hope he doesn't use you as an ingredient in the latest disaster he's despoiling the atmosphere with...the rest of you dunderheads can shut your mouths and prove to me how badly you failed in preparing for the Hyphus Potion." Snape half-stepped away, then stepped back. "Black, if you make half the mess you made last time you will be on detention until you shake hands with your ancestors."

"Which ancestors?"

"The deceased." Snape swept away to adjust the measures of ingredients on several desks, no point encouraging disaster unnecessarily.

**XXXXXX**

Minerva McGonagal had firmly believed that nothing could be worse than the cold war which had gripped her house since the advent of Hades Black as a permanent member...she'd had two and a half weeks of proof that Gryffindor was normal without his presence. Gone was the comfortable chaos which was Gryffindor, gone was the cheerful competition and most definitely gone was the cheerful mixing between years. Most of Gryffindor seemed to have taken up Slytherin-style plotting in corners and Minerva was on the verge of despair over Severus' gloating...mostly because Severus was quite accurate in his repeated observations that the situation was not Hades Black's fault, or the result of the boy's machinations. The termination of the cold war in an overt act of open warfare by the seventh years taught Minerva that she had not even scraped the shallowest acquaintance with the worst...the only ray of good cheer she could find in the whole mess was that Black and the Weasley Twins had spent an entire evening staring at each other before calling a truce and agreeing to ignore the fact that the other party existed...and it wasn't half clear that the Weasley Twins had called that truce for reasons other than respect for the rules and house unity.

The Heads of House watched the war rage with mixed reactions. Severus Snape watched with muted amusement and firm support for Hades Black...his principal act was using the special leave to ensure Hades Black was not to be found by Gryffindor on the weekends. Pomona Sprout watched with concern and bewilderment...though she had been known to say that she had no idea why Potter had ever concerned them the previous year. Filius Flitwick was more preoccupied with figuring out why the school was so surprised by the rumours of dark affiliations. Blacks had been dark for centuries...possibly millenium. Sirius Black had made it clear on his release that he was no longer interested in supporting the light, to be noted though the man said nothing about supporting Voldemort and Flitwick had heard that the Dark Lord was more than a little unhappy about his inability to get the Head of House Black assassinated. Minerva McGonagal watched with despair, she was deducting points from her own house by the handful, and worst of all was the fact that she had yet to get Hades Black for anything. The boy came out of commonroom brawls smelling of roses when it came to the school rules. McGonagal could have half the house on detention with a points loss in the hundreds, the remaining quarter were usually in the hospital wing, and yet Hades Black would have to be released without punishment since he never started the fights...infact the boy never willingly interacted with his own house at all. He was the most infuriating student it had ever been McGonagal's misfortune to deal with. In some respects you might even say she wasn't dealing with him since he had a habit of going to Snape when he required a Head of House authority. Salt to the wound was the fact that Snape had started awarding house points to Gryffindor...and only that kept Gryffindor from ending up in negative points.

**XXXXXX**

"Longbottom." Black's dark expression as he scanned the commonroom earned Neville a wide range of pitying looks. The entire house now knew that Longbottom had been assigned permanently to Black's side, originally only in potions, but soon enough all subjects had seen Longbottom sitting with Black wearing an expression of varying terror. This was the first time Black had actively annexed the boy outside of class-time, and the majority felt extreme pity for the boy.

"W-what?" Longbottom cringed even more as the cold eyes found him.

"We need to talk if you have a moment."

"I promise, I've tried not get in your way." Longbottom almost fell over as he jumped to his feet.

"Don't be a fool." Black moved to his usual window and pulled some pages out of his bag.

"W-w-w..." Longbottom hesitated near the boy.

"Grab a seat either on the sill, or with a chair you steal from somewhere." Black glanced up. "To clear matters up, for all Snape's obnoxious personality he's not such a moron as to inflict me upon you without cause...I doubt he realised that the other professors were going to follow his lead."

"Um?" Longbottom gaped at Black.

"Sit." Black grabbed the boy and yanked him down to sit on the other end of the windowsill. "Read this."

"Sir..."

"Spike or Black." Black didn't even look up from his notes.

"Black, why are so many people looking at us?"

"Because they're nosy." Black glanced up briefly. "That and I put up a ward which means they can't hear what we're talking about."

"Black?"

"Side note, I have one hell of a temper, but I'm not inclined to the cannibal." Black looked up calmly. "I can, and probably will, yell at you. I'll probably even call you names at times. It's not personal and it certainly will be no reflection on you as a person. Just ask my brothers if you don't believe me." Black was silent for a moment. "Infact, regardless of what happens, if I confuse the hell out of you, go to one of my brothers for a translation. They're pretty good at it." Black scowled suddenly. "Did I not say read?"

"Sorry." Longbottom hastily started reading the page, though it would be ten minutes before he consciously realised that he was actually reading English and it should be making sense...which it wasn't.

When Black packed them up for supper, Longbottom had half a foot of scribbled notes on things he was to research and a complete lack of knowledge of why it was important. Longbottom was reading his notes as he shuffled away from the windowsill.

"You alive, Longbottom?" It was Percy Weasley who asked the concerned question.

"Oh, fine." Longbottom jumped slightly, realising that almost every eye in the house was turned to him. "He's a bit intense, but not bad as long as he stays on topic." Longbottom glanced at his page of notes again.

"He gave you homework?" Ron seemed horrified as he looked over Longbottom's shoulder.

"No." Longbottom shoved the page into his pocket. "Just some notes about things I didn't understand."

"Show it to Hermione." Ron gave a laugh. "She can explain anything."

"Yeah." Longbottom gave a weak smile before hastily shuffling off, hopefully no one was going to realise that he wouldn't be going near Hermione. He needed to do this work himself, if only just to prove to himself that he could do the work. For some reason it felt very important that he fail miserably over asking for help from someone who was not a Black...or Snape.

"You look like a man who's been cornered by Hades Black." The cheerful voice caught Longbottom in the Entrance Hall and he turned uncertainly in search of the owner. It was Fai'lo Black accompanied by a small girl whose hair was almost as pale as his own.

"I feel like that too?" Longbottom hesitantly proferred the response. An afternoon in Spike's intense company and he had a feeling that was the appropriate response.

"No, you state it with confidence, not doubt." Fai'lo grabbed an arm and headed for the Great Hall. "Try again."

"I feel like that too." Longbottom actually gave a small smile as he snapped off his reply.

"Perfect." Fai'lo pushed Longbottom down onto a bench. "This is your cordial invitation to eat with us...thus ensuring no interruptions while I attempt to persuade you that Hades' bite isn't half so bad if you do anything with confidence...including such idiocies as screaming his entire name in the middle of the Great Hall." Fai'lo had sat down. "This, by the way, is Luna Lovegood. She's good with animals and has an uncanny grip on the gossip network of Hogwarts."

"Neville Longbottom."

"Wonderful, then we all know each other...or at least I'm assuming you remember me from the fuss at our Sorting.

"Fai'lo is a pretty odd name." Longbottom tilted his head slightly to one side.

"That is true." Fai'lo seemed momentarily pensive. "So, what's caused my brother to inflict his personality on you?"

"Professor Snape assigned me as his potions partner." Longbottom was glum. "Then all the other professors followed suit...at least Professor Snape had a reason. Or, to be precise Black told me that Professor Snape had a reason."

"Ahh, and dear old Hades would never even dream on changing his year plan to suite his lab partner." Fai'lo gave a slow nod before glancing sideways at Longbottom. "Would you believe me if I said you'd be fine if you simply follow Hades and do what he suggests?"

"Well, I can't do worse than I am doing...except for not turning up to class." Longbottom rubbed his nose.

"Well, I'll back Hades against even Malfoy's morons." Fai'lo gave a small smile. "But don't take anything personally...unless he rips into you in the manner he tends to destroy Granger and Weasley. I've known Spike to stalk around the house glowering fit to burn the place down for no other reason than because a House Elf dared to sharpen his blades. There was also the time when he couldn't find a reference he remembered. One of my favourites was the time when Malfoy relabelled his supplies. It was three entire weeks before he stopped stalking around with a permanent glare muttering death threats under his breath. It's the charm of Hades. Just ignore his sulks, the more he scowls I suggest the more straight you stand when you approach to hit him with a book and ask if he really wants you to count ant eyes for the whole day." Fai'lo's eyes went sober. "He'll get crankier the more you cringe, so do yourself a favour and don't cringe."

"Do you know any books which might help me understand what he's doing?" Longbottom fingered the paper in his pocket.

"No." Fai'lo pulled a bit of paper from his pocket, scribbled a note on it and tapped it with his wand. The 'plane leapt from the table-top and shot over to the Gryffindor Table, shrieking like a muggle emergency vehicle.

"Har, har." Hades Black dropped with a heavy clunk onto the bench opposite his younger brother, before handing the paper back. "Books query is not informative."

"I asked him if he knew any books which might give me a handle on what you're doing." Longbottom had grabbed his non-existant nerve and blurted it out.

"Neutralising bases." Hades had blinked for a moment before settling more comfortably on the bench. "Potter created a basis which neutralises anything. Unfortunately only Potter could create the stuff...and his verbal directions don't produce the same result. Snape set me the project for this year to try and replicate the base so someone other than Potter could create it. In particular he wants me to find it before he runs out of the Potter base." Hades gave a shrug. "I'm afraid there are no books specific to the topic. Start by understanding ingredient interaction and it goes from there. What does it take to stop the interaction?"

"Interaction?" Longbottom blinked in confusion.

"You planted Snapdragons and Dandylions together?"

"No." Neville flinched at the mere suggestion. "They fight."

"Snapdragons and passive daisies?"

"Again no." Neville gave a small grimace before frowning. "You mean you're trying to find a...means to put everything in the same bed?"

"Pretty much." Hades gave a faint smile. "A means to stop the fight without changing either participant."

"That's not second year potions."

"Potter did it in first year."

"Only because I would have plastered our potion all over the ceiling if he hadn't." Neville gave a snort and then blinked in surprise. Had he just snarked at Hades Black?

"Good, because in about a month's time I'll probably need you to put your best exploding foot forward." Hades gave a brief nod before returning back to the Gryffindor table to return his attention to his book.

"Told you he wasn't half so bad if you ignored his bite." Fai'lo was grinning.

"Do...oh." Neville abruptly leapt to his feet and scurried over to grab Ginny Weasley before returning to his seat. "Ginny said she knew Luna last week, I...she's been studying Herbology with me."

"You're good at Herbology?" Fai'lo had straightened and was studying Neville with a certain fixity of expression. "You help me and Pluto with Herbology and I will blackmail, bribe or otherwise torment Hades and Pluto until they will give you any help you want in those nasty subjects with wands...don't even consider asking them about History, it isn't worth the agony of how atrocious they are." Fai'lo paused for a moment. "Better yet, I'll blackmail Malfoy to help with potions...he actually can sometimes understand Spike and he has a near magical ability to translate that to English...If he weren't a Malfoy I'd give him grief until he displaced Snape...Now, spill, Spike's gone all stoic and won't talked about you Gryffies. What are the nitwits up to?"

**XXXXXX**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7:**

"Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Draco Malfoy was slouched on one of the uncomfortable chairs, his gaze unfocussed and his mind restless. "Lousy poet if nothing else."

"Very." Fai'Lo's response was distracted, his attention on Hades and Pluto who were huddled in a corner and arguing under an opaque ward.

"The belief that Spike's the heir is spreading rapidly." Pansy seemed worried.

"They're fools." Malfoy shifted to glance briefly at the glowing ward. "Father says that the Headmaster has refused to let him into the school...we're apparently looking for a small black diary with TM Riddle on the front in gold script."

"Riddle isn't dead." Hades Black had dropped the ward and was looking cranky.

"Which means not only are we looking for an impossibly common little book, but we also have no idea why my father is so worried about it being within the school."

"How does he even know it's here?"

"I'm guessing the petrified cat means something to him." Hades dropped into a chair with a scowl. "Has he explained why he won't simply tell you the problem in a letter?"

"Apparently it would be an act in...some stupid word, apparently it would put him in trouble with his deal with the Ministry. Why, since the Ministry had the diary, I can't tell you...but he always uses that weird wording when he's worried about the Ministry's views on his actions."

"Ugh." Pluto was blinking rather owlishly and rubbing the back of his head. "This was a very bad idea. It's going to take months to sort this lot."

"At least we know he's not dead so the diary's less than two hundred years old...might be why the creep's laid off Daiyati." Fai'lo's tone was rather meditative. "We know it's not in Slytherin or Hufflepuff...I asked Diggory to have it asked and searched for. Sprout hasn't got it and Snape swore Sinistra's not got it...Pince says the description is unfamiliar."

"Who would be fool enough to mess around with a semi-sentient diary?" Davis looked up from her essay.

"Gryffindor...and we'll have as much luck searching there as..." Hades bit off his sentance and opened his DADA text with impatience, not that he was reading it at all, but Harry would find it interesting and there was only one thing worse than a ghost breathing down your collar and that was a bored ghost breathing down your collar. At least Harry didn't do it too often.

"Fai, why has Harry started with the burr act?" Pluto's query caused Fai'lo to looked up from his latest attempt at a Herbology essay.

"Mm?"

"Harry, he's been with you for the past week...the only exception was when you were in transfiguration and then he was doing a leech act with Malfoy."

"He's only with me outside of class."

"No he's not, I saw you in Charms yesterday." Hades had joined the interrogation and Draco was clearly interested.

"Huh?" Another blink.

"Harry...brother...currently breathing down my neck and pointedly ignoring this discussion. What scared our brother so badly he's essentially refused to leave your side in over a week."

"Harry?" Fai'lo glanced at the small ghost who was, as Hades had mentioned, a little too pointed in his lack of interest in the conversation.

"You said you didn't mind." Harry reluctantly looked away from the book he'd been trying to read.

"I don't...scared me just as bad...I'm asking permission to loose the hell-hounds on that idiot."

"Hell hounds?" Harry looked puzzled.

"These three twits...you really think they're going to let her get away with it?" Fai'lo's wave took in Hades, Pluto and Draco specifically, but by expression the wave covered anyone on the table.

"But I don't..." Harry curled up on himself.

"Spill, Harry, or I will assume the worst and act accordingly." Hades tone was curt, but even with that there seemed to be a moment of stalemate, then Harry gave a reluctant nod.

"Granger tried to exorcise him...he and Peeves hadn't even finished setting the stink-bombs up when she went for him." Fai'lo spoke after a moment and followed it with a shrug.

"So why haunt Fai?" Draco was frowning rather darkly.

"That I can answer." Hades tapped the small ghost and waved him back to the DADA text. "If Fai's around no ghost can be exorcised...and my guess is that's why Granger's attempt failed." Hades blinked thoughtfully for a moment, then picked up his potions text. "Malfoy...let the Slytherins know that if it's subtle and it upsets her it's fair game...she'll not be in the top ten in any subject if I get my way."

"That'll be a trick in History."

"Leave history to me...if I can distract Pluto into failing, then I'm certain I can distract Granger into less than perfection."

"You pull that stunt on her and you'll distract her straight into a Mungos...No, Hades, you do nothing unless she instigates it." Pluto had looked up sharply from his essay.

"Define instigates?"

"Either she addresses you specifically and in person, or she is within arm's reach of your unadjusted location...you have to endeavour to keep your distance from her."

"Fine." There had been a very long and tense moment before Hades had conceded the fight. "I'll abide by that, but I'm upping my security."

"That's allowed...but nothing worse than ten minutes in the infirmary."

"Fine." Hades turned the page for his ghost and pointedly returned to his Potions book.

"What did Spike do to make you fail history?" Draco was more than a little curious, he'd known that the Black's had declared History of Magic open ground for war, but no one had ever given specifics and so he'd only the results for information on just how successful the war had been.

"Technically he only distracted my studies...I failed history off my own bat, but that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't distracted me. Neat little charm, made my book buzz whenever it was opened. It was perfectly pitched to really get into your head. Daiyati got the charm off for me, but by then I was so accustomed to it that I heard it even though it wasn't there...ooh-hoo. Spike!"

"What?" The head didn't move.

"Demonstrate with Lockhart."

"My pleasure..." Hades fumbled the page turn and then smiled. "Open field, week about starting on monday. Interruption is one point, shortening is two, not starting is three and infirmary overnight is four."

"Complete mental destruction?"

"That's worth ice cream...now shut up, I need to think...since Gryffindor is less obliging than either Slytherin or Hufflepuff and the diary's probably there over Ravenclaw."

"Sir Nick?"

"Considering Peeves was involved I doubt I can pull the exorcist card on him."

"Pity." Pluto pondered his pile of half-written essays and tried to decide which one to endanger his brain with next.

**XXXXXX**

"I don't actually care, Granger." The soft words froze the commonroom, only a few brave souls turning to actually see what was happening. The war had ended with the rise of the Heir and Gryffindor had settled for ignoring the existance of Black, it had been working remarkably well for all, though there had been some mumbles when Creevey was petrified the night after he'd upset Black's book at dinner. It would have been more than mumbles except for the slight problem that Black had an alibi...no one was going to get away with nefarious activities while simultaneously brewing with Snape and the four students Snape had deemed safe enough to help deal with the mass brewing. The mumbles had faded rapidly and Black had known peace and responded in kind. Trust Hermione Granger to endanger the situation, she had cornered Hades Black on the windowsill he'd taken possession of at the beginning of the year. Most people went out of their way to avoid that windowsill. Trust Granger to decide something was more important than commonsense and life expectancy.

"But it's important and you know you have a responsibility..." Granger came to a halt and everyone else in the commonroom backed up nervously. Bad enough Creevey getting petrified, if Back's expression was anything to go by there was going to be a bloody massacre within Gryffindor in the next minute.

"My responsibility?" Black had slid from his windowsill and placed his book where he'd been sitting. "Would you kindly clarify just why it is my responsibility to sticky-beak into other peoples business when they've been so kind as to ensure it doesn't interfer with my life."

"Just because you don't fear what this great beast is, doesn't mean that they'll keep the school open. You have a responsibility to the school and this house to do what you can to ensure the safety of the student body."

"I am ensuring the safety of the student body." Black's tone was frigid. "I obey the edicts of the staff so they needn't concern themselves with my safety and whereabouts...I suggest you consider doing the same."

"Forget it, Hermione, the git's probably helping Malfoy mount these attacks." Ron pulled at Hermione's arm.

"I assure you, Weasley." The words were icey cold as Black shifted his attention. "If I was party to these attacks you would not be dealing with petrification...and I would not have begun with a cat." There was a long moment of silence. "I don't encourage any irresponsible parties in their irresponsibility."

"I am not irresponsible!" Granger had flared up in fury.

"Oh, so endangering Longbottom's life by petrifying him at the end of last year was not irresponsible? How do you figure that out?"

"Neville never was in danger, it had worn off before I even got back to the Commonroom." Granger had gone red again. Longbottom was reading a Herbology book and apparently unaware of the fight, but a careful observer would have noted an unhealthy degree of pallor.

"How interesting, I have it from Green Harry that Hogwarts herself had to intercede and nullify all magic in the Gryffindor Commonroom 5 minutes after you left because Longbottom did what the average person does when cursed and then deserted."

"What's that?" Weasley was frowning.

"It's called panicking, Weasley, and I'll be only too happy to give you first hand experience with the emotion." Black's gaze was merciless as it swung back to the girl. "You screwed up, Granger. It was luck and Green Harry that prevented your screw-up from becoming a tragedy."

"How do you come to think you know so much?" Weasley was frowning.

"I don't think I know anything." Black picked up his book. "Green Harry would have been my brother had he not died. As such he has a kindness for me and occasionally chats." Black turned his gaze back to Granger. "Try banishing Green Harry again Granger and I will kill you with my own hands. He's put up with quite enough from you without you trying to force a decision upon him just because you think that it's not right."

"He was helping Peeves set up a stink-bomb ambush." Granger had her nose in the air.

"Oh, boo-hoo, so your robes smell off for the grand total of three seconds it takes to banish the smoke and freshen your clothes." Black's eyes suddenly brightened. "Fine, I have no problem if you try and banish Green Harry."

"Black." It was one of the seventh years who broke the confused silence.

"Gibbons?" Black looked away from his two opponents, his expression innocent.

"What is your retaliation going to be for pranking?" Gibbons' expression was wary, but his question drew fear from most of the faces in Gryffindor. The war had taught them that Hades Black was brutally ruthless. Just because the war had ceased did not mean anyone was going to underestimate that boy any time soon. If Black didn't mind Granger attempting to banish the green ghost, he had to have something up his sleeve.

"Nothing serious." Black gave a small shake of his head. "There's this absolutely marvelous curse I've been desperate to try out for months. I figure if Granger deems exorcism of a ghost appropriate retaliation for stink-bombs that haven't even been set off...then she'll have no problem if I use a bisection curse the next time she tries to copy one of my books." The smile was almost feral. "She'll only lose a little blood because I can't get more than one tenth of the power actually required to chop a person in half yet. There's also this marvellous curse my grandmother was telling me about which make eyeballs explode...or the one I really like, which the elf told me, it makes you itch so badly you'll tear your own skin off. I found that one actually in the library back home after some searching and one victim of it actually scratched so much he had no skin left on his fingers."

"You've made your point, Black." Gibbons moved away leaving Hades to snort and pick up his book again. Weasley had long since disappeared supporting a sick looking Granger.

"Vicious aren't you." The new interruption drew a glare from Black.

"Not half as vicious as that ignorant book-worm." Black snapped shortly without even looking up. He knew exactly who stood there. He even knew why they stood there and what they were trying to do. "She has no idea what complications can lie behind some of those spells she throws around so lightly."

"You do?"

"Of course I do." Hades glanced up at the twins irritably. "Annoy me any more and I might introduce you to the perils of a little too much power behind the dear old leg-locker...though at least with that one you're not risking death by asphyxiation...just a little irreparable nerve damage...which technically speaking makes that spell more dangerous than the cruciatus."

"How much overpowered are you talking of." Fred was frowning.

"Not much." Black gave a shrug. "I'm trying to read."

"We noticed, but we're trying to interrogate." George smiled kindly at Black. "So spill, what did our brother and his friend want?"

"Me to steal boomslang skin for them from Snape...apparently they've discovered it to be a restricted resource and she's decided that it's my responsibility to jeopardise my apprenticeship with Snape so they can mess around with a potion they're not qualified to brew."

"Why is boomslang skin restricted?"

"No idea...but I suspect it has to do with the fact that the stuff is lethal if mishandled."

"What on earth do they want it for?"

"No idea, but probably so they can sneak into the Slytherin Commonroom and persuade Malfoy to betray his sneaky intentions as the Heir...idiots."

"You don't think it's Malfoy?"

"I know it's not Malfoy, if for no other reason than the fact that Malfoy senior is in the most frightful bait over the whole matter...and him in a bait just isn't worth the giggles of petrifying anything." Hades eyed the twins. "Harry says you're sound."

"We owed him one, he didn't give us up even though it would probably have got him out of the trouble he was in." George gave a shrug. "We kept an eye out for him after that, but he was very good at not needing help."

"I have permission to stop pulling my punches." Hades had hesitated for a very long moment, then he spoke rather carefully. "Ron is very likely to get caught in the cross-fire due to his friendship with Granger."

"Would anyone get 'fired' at if you were just left alone?"

"Probably not...my permission was actually lifted several weeks ago." Hades had hesitated for a moment. "My brothers and Malfoy's group would also have to be left alone...and that's as likely to occur as the sun rising in the west and setting in the south."

"We'll see if we can't get some of the older years off your back...after-all, it's not like you've ever used one of those spells you so graphically describe."

"Daiyati would have my hide if he even thought I was contemplating lifting those wards within a school." Hades gave a snort. "None of you are that dangerous and nothing I'm currently set is that perilous...and if it was the books wouldn't be allowed to leave Professor Snape's office since everyone knows teenagers are the most objectionably nosy brats."

"Where might you put the eyeball curse?"

"Aah." Hades rubbed the side of his nose for a moment. "I think it's one of the protections on the vampiric tome."

"Vampiric tome is a book on vampires we assume."

"Technically it is a political history of vampiric culture...and unless you've received advanced training that book will bite you and turn you into a vampire...it's got a tray under it to catch the leaking blood of the victims. No eyeballs you can't read it, if you can't read it it won't bite you."

"Why do the Blacks have a political history of vampires?"

"Traditionally we're the negotiators sent in to discuss treaties when the vampires object to the laws you light twits keep piling on top of them. We're sent in because light twits die when they try to negotiate with vampires. The vampires turned over a few copies of their tomes a thousand odd years back when they realised that we were the regular negotiators and that negotiations would be faster and more favourable for them if we actually understood their side of things."

"Why do..ah, light twits die in vampiric negotiations?" The query came after a thoughtful moment. "Bill was talking of negotiating with vampires only the other day."

"The vampires will have approached your brother, no one dies when the vampires open up the negotiations because the laws of the magical world apply. It's when the magical world approaches to vampiric that all hell breaks loose because the laws which apply then are theirs...and they consider no negotiator worth speaking to unless they can survive within vampiric society for the duration of the negotiation...it's rather like expecting dessert not to be eaten at Hogwarts." Hades gave a slight nod. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to resume my reading before I have insufficient time to finish my reading."

"Gred...I vote in favour of letting this creepy little thing read his book while we go play negotiators with the rest of the house and try to at least persuade the older ones that for all his talk when annoyed, he's unlikely to bite above his year level...which means their studies are safe so long as they leave him alone."

"I suggest you do some research in the library first...take them the statistics on who negotiates with magical cross-species...you might also wish to point out that Voldemort has really screwed up inter-species politics with his firm following of killing anything which disagrees with him. You need negotiators alive for when this stupid war ends. That means you need Blacks and Malfoys alive in specific."

"If Malfoys are negotiators...why did they join the snake in the first place?"

"If you actually think the Dark Lord stood up before all the pure bloods and said 'I wish to kill off all life-forms which do not worship me as god...and all those without magic...those who are not of human birth...infact anyone who isn't me will die.' You're bigger idiots than I thought you weren't. Your current ministry has not only made the laws untenable for the magical non-human, it's also making things untenable for your negotiators and strangely enough we won't stand for that."

"Who negotiates with goblins?"

"Malfoys...you don't think they got that filthy rich by accident do you." Hades tone was dry. "They have to be filthy rich or the goblins won't let them through the door. Now go away, I need to read and you're becoming boring since most of this is history which you can find in the library."

"That's the riot act, Forge...let's grab Lee and a couple of girls and hit the history books...we can ask him later how he failed History of Magic since he apparently knows it better than Binns does."

"Lets grab some Ravenclaws and see if we can't pick Malfoy's brain. This is..." The portrait slammed behind the twins and Hades resettled himself to comfortably read his book. Snape would have his head if he didn't get this sorted.

**XXXXXX**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8:**

"You're distracted." Snape scowled darkly across the preparation bench at the other. "Gossip getting to you? Worried about Creevey or Finch-Fletchley?"

"No." Hades spoke after a moment, then abruptly smothered a yawn with his sleeve. "Granger wants me to become her private potions brewer."

"Your charge-out is Journeyman rates...and why does she ask you for help?"

"House unity or similar...I think she thinks it would help integrate me with the rest of the house...certainly that was the line of approach McGonagal used when she initiated the talks for Granger."

"That's optimistic." Snape gave a snort. "Why do they need potions brewed?"

"Reason cited to McGonagal was studies. Fai's friend says they think it will help find them the heir...I'm pretty certain that if I give her a definite no she'll be stupid enough to brew it herself."

"Serious?"

"Watch your private ingredients because I've got enough already to know that it's not going to be found in the student cupboard...she'll have already verified that she can't order the stuff herself before she even considered approaching me."

"As potions master I am ordering you to say no...you can give that to Minerva. Give Granger your charge-out rates and the news that as an apprentice you don't brew without my supervision...even if it's a cleanser."

"I can promise you it's not a cleanser...she's had her nose in Moste Potente Potiones for the last couple of days and she wanted me to get boomslang skin out of you."

"Merlin save us all, I'll alert Poppy and you be prepared to drop all classes in favour of antidote brews...which reminds me you need to take next week off and prepare for sporadic attendance for the rest of the term. Headmaster won't let me cancel a week worth of classes and a couple of these can't be left to an elf so I'm turning the lot over to you."

"Oh, goody...any for him I can mess up?"

"No." Snape's look was speaking and Hades gave a quick grin before he resumed hacking his way through the coarse chop 'Curse'.

**XXXXXX**

"I rather think Lockheart might cry...he's been so relieved you weren't in class." Draco's tone was almost meditative as he took station on a comfortable bit of wall next to Hades.

"Let Snape know that Granger is being very pushy and the potion looks to be polyjuice...but that's only a guess based on where in the book she's been taking notes." Hades' nose didn't twitch out of his book.

"I really don't want to know, Black...and if you can make Lockheart sing in class today I will be happy."

"Sorry, no singing." Hades pushed off the wall as the door opened and the class was let in.

"Will you oblige?" Draco held back and queried the small ghost who was nothing more than a nose and two eyes just above where Hades had been standing.

"No." Harry drifted slowly out of the wall and down to the ground, his head tilting so he could meet gaze with a boy who had once been of height with him. "The Gryffindors still being idiots over your quidditch?"

"The fact that I've yet to be defeated takes the edge off their insults." Draco's smile was thin. "You coming in?"

"No." Harry began drifting back into the wall. "This monster must be found."

"Thank you and good luck." Draco waited until the small ghost had been fully absorbed by the wall before he entered the classroom. The stress of the monster was beginning to tell on everyone and Draco was uneasy because he knew that ghosts were as at risk as the students.

**XXXXXX**

"Professor Snape...is it possible that I borrow Spike for a while?"

"Why?" Snape eyed Malfoy sceptically, he didn't think that Malfoy would be asking this question for less than a good reason.

"Pluto's apparently on the third floor and chatting to a window in...well Chang says it's archaic japanese and she's the closest we've got to an asian tongues specialist. People are starting to get worried, particularly since he's got wards up that not even Dumbledore managed to bring down."

"Go." Snape waved a hand and turned back to his cauldrons. Hades had grabbed Draco by the arm as he moved past at a speed which was definitely uncomfortably above the speed of walking.

"Get your father here...Spike just told me we've got basilisk paths and that's what the monster is." Hades released his grip as they came upon the Slytherin Comonroom.

"Why's Spike talking to a window?"

"He's not...it's the spiders crawling out the window...and it's more of a meditation on why spiders respond to basilisks in that manner. Now, I've got to get...get your father here!"

"Why are you..." Draco flinched.

"You're right, that was a dumb start to a question...I've got to find out who's got such a hard grip and why he's not letting go. They may be useful, but we've no intention of letting any of them live a second life...particularly any of the ones who spoke any language we refer to as an archaic as their primary tongue. Most of them are notable only for the fact that they make Voldemort look like a spineless kitten." Hades was already halfway down the corridor by the time Draco heard the last words, but he knew what needed doing and he made certain to call in Sirius Black as well...though he needed to remember to tell Hades to lay claim to the notification if it came up.

**XXXXXX**

Severus Snape, who had been almost literally steaming over having been ordered up to the Headmaster's Office, was very deeply amused. Sirius Black and Lucius Malfoy were behaving with letter perfect manners, while somehow making it clear that there was nothing either of them desired more than the chance to wring the other's neck. Minerva seemed to be on the edge of tears and Dumbledore himself was looking conflicted. The matter as a whole had been quite quickly resolved after all there was no mystery if you came from families who historically used the defences of Salazar Slytherin to defend your people. A basilisk really wasn't a comforting thought, but there you had it, there was a basilisk in the school and both Black and Malfoy were clear that if a parseltongue had gotten a direct grip on the serpent than there was nothing to do but off the speaker and hope the paths were closed when you did so...if they weren't then the next step would obviously be to call in dangerous creatures and get the hell out of the school. Even Dumbledore wasn't upset about that point, it was what followed which caused the current trouble. Lucius Malfoy had wasted no time in getting orders out to the House Elves to institute a school-wide search which had eventually produced the volume which currently rested on the Headmaster's desk. Snape, personally, preferred Black's solution to the current stand-off, give the diary to Spike Black. Lucius Malfoy seemed agreeable to that idea as well, but McGonagal seemed distressed at the idea of one of her students becoming a murderer...Black's helpful observation that it wouldn't be Black, per se, who committed the murder did not seem to comfort the woman. Dumbledore was refusing to let the diary go on the grounds that it needed to be researched and information taken so that the chamber of Secrets could be nullified.

"Don't be ridiculous." Black seemed disinterested, but then again he had the innermost layer of magic over the diary and quite obviously had tied the magic so any attack on his ward merely fed more power into the ward, making it harder to break and not putting any strain or drag on his own magic...infact Black had put his wand away after casting his ward over the diary a hair before Dumbledore. "You don't nullify a major defence on the eve of war."

"It's not a defence with..."

"Rubbish." Black's snort was dismissive. "Slytherin's set-up was brilliant and the only fault lies in the fact that a parseltongue already ordering the basilisk can over ride primary orders. A parseltongue can't do diddly once the primary orders have come down...but you're in strife if his nastiness comes here before you get this little matter resolved...i.e. that nasty bit of specialised magic needs to be destroyed before it, and the poor sod it's partially possessed, decide to let his nastiness in. You can't nullify the Chamber, Dumbledore, it's the key to the schools defences and the basilisk's magic is one of the sources which feeds this buildings rather impressive wards...and after 1000 years, that basilisk is packing a tidy bit of magic. Thank your lucky stars that his nastiness has never bothered to talk to Syartha."

"Spike spoke to Syartha?" Snape wrinkled his brows thoughtfully.

"No, Spike had a chat with Slytherin and Fai can see the serpent magic winding throughout the castle and wards." Black gave a snort. "Either you trust the primary orders which defend this castle, or you better leave now because destroying the Chamber will destroy the castle...infact I rather think Hogwarts will fight any attempt to unintentionally damage the chamber, let alone specifically off it's denizen."

"Headmaster, you're not even listening are you." Lucius Malfoy spoke in an almost meditative tone.

"That diary needs to be studied and its secrets extracted." Dumbledore's expression was kindly.

"Very well." Lucius Malfoy lifted one hand which held dancing black flames and Fawkes began to scream. "Drop your wards because this will destroy even Black's." Lucius had barely begun to speak before Sirius Black dropped his ward and wound the magic back into his wand. Snape had barely waited for the ward specification before he dropped his own ward. Dumbledore's expression was stubborn, but that morphed into pain when Malfoy, with a slight shrug, accurately threw the black flames at the diary. The two remaining wardings fell immediately and after a half second the book on the desktop simply vanished.

"Wher..." Dumbledore was struggling with magical backlash as well as horror.

"Since the Headmaster has been unreasonable the volume has been banished...I would prefer that book in the hands of the possessed idiot than the Headmaster...be thankful Black tied this little matter up as a Black Family matter or I can promise you the Dark Lord would be hearing about this." Lucius Malfoy was on his feet and sweeping from the room by the time he snarled the last bit.

"Black." Snape's tone wasn't quite making the grade of civil. "What were those flames?"

"Malfoy Magic...fortunately doesn't work on anything but small-scale wardings." Black's smile was thin and Snape nodded in quiet agreement, though he knew that there was undoubtedly some other family which held the magic which would enable the use of that spell on large scale wards. Snape's money was on it being Black magic, otherwise it had to be Potter magic, a Black had no reason to know so much about unrelated Malfoy magic.

**XXXXXX**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9:**

Minerva McGonagal was actually beginning to fear that Hades Black's attitude was going to last all six years she was going to have to suffer him. She'd hoped that his distant attitude would ease with the cessation of warfare, but it seemed merely to have intensified as the year passed. Her regular interviews with him achieved nothing, and a recent attempt by Miss Granger to integrate the boy had been rudely rejected. Minerva had decided to try and find out why Black refused to study potions with his fellow house-members. It had been nearly a month since the initial foray had been rejected and Minerva felt the time was good for investigating the situation without disturbing volatile tempers.

"I wish to..." Minerva stopped with a frown because her fire had just given a preparatory roar.

"Minerva." Poppy Pomfrey was not a usual user of the floos.

"Poppy?"

"I'm after young Mr Black...Severus is too busy and he said young Black would do for the consult."

"Wha..." Minerva blinked and then shook her head.

"Miss Granger is in the infirmary...I need a potions consult."

"Well..." Minerva hesitated.

"I'm on my way, Madame Pomfrey." Black had stepped forward. "Do I need to bring anything?"

"Not at this point, Mr Black."

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes...unless Professor McGonagal...?" It hovered patiently.

"Go." Minerva waved the boy off and settled down to ty and think through her own thoughts. Poppy would keep the boy in line and she needed to think...though perhaps speaking to Severus might be a good starting point, though not right now.

**XXXXXX**

"Minerva." Snape's tone was rather repressing as he half-glanced up from his collection of steaming cauldrons.

"You put Poppy on a second year student for a potions consult?" Minerva was trying not to frown.

"Black would hold Master status if he were allowed to test yet...since he can't we've instead chosen to persue medi-potions, and he's already got his journeyman status in that field. That aside, I am busy and that wretched goody-two-shoes is with-holding information."

"How do..." Minerva hesitated, one had to word such questions carefully for Severus was awfully fast to take insult if he felt his potions knowledge challenged...as evidenced by the poor fool who'd dared to question the potions master concerning Zabini last year. Minerva had a feeling the man was still wetting himself if Snape's name was only mentioned.

"How do I know she's with-holding information?" Snape's lip wrinkled. "She claims to have simply woken up with the head and tail of a cat. Having seen Poppy's initial assessment I know she injested polyjuice potion...and given that is lumpy pond-scum when brewed properly and can only get worse with errors, I know she can't have accidentally imbibed it...which leaves you with intentional consumption, but lying because she thinks the penalty will be worse if she tells the truth."

"You think Miss Granger brewed and then drank polyjuice potion?" Minerva was outraged.

"No think about it...she totally lost interest in studying potions with Hades when he made it clear that he was only allowed to brew under my direct supervision...and then there was Green Harry seeing young Mr Weasley walking around in Goyle's school robes shortly before Miss Granger arrived in the infirmary."

"Why do you consider procedure more punishment than the detentions of telling the truth?" Minerva was feeling uncomfortable and verging on the worried.

"Procedure was actually written for situations when there is no analysis available but a non-lethal potion must be counter-acted...and Hades will adhere to the letter of Ministry Procedure given Miss Granger's treatment of him these past three months. For your information, Miss Granger has made a point of loudly pointing out any deviation from Ministry prescribed potions procedure...and considering that Hades Black is currently engaged in specific bit of private research which involves a lot of explosions I can promise you he is required to regularly deviate from ministry procedure...however, under the circumstances he will acknowledge her preference for adherence to Ministry procedure and abide by them. I suggest you tell her to 'fess-up and take it like a Gryffindor."

"You set her up as a target for vengeance?" Discomfort was heading towards outrage, fast.

"Minerva, I am currently brewing stocks for our infirmary and St Mungo's. I am the only Medi-potions trained Potions Master in this country...do you really want me to turn these potions over to a journeyman with no training in palate balance so I can pour pointless potions into your lying lion?" Snape took a moment to stir one of his cauldrons. "All Miss Granger needs to do is tell the truth and she can duck the entire mess. If she'd held her tongue for the past three months I've no doubt he'd simply redesign the treatment around the stomach and blood analysis and give her the three specific tests required to prove it's polyjuice...however, under the circumstances you cannot fault his course of action...there's also the fact that someone needs to scare her arrogance into not brewing what she is not qualified to brew."

"She was apparently successful in brewing for Mr Weasley."

"Thus proving herself to be a hack cook out of her depth, since she didn't recognise that her dose was contaminated...my point, she could have poisoned them all and not known a thing until far too late. She is not to be rewarded for her stupidity."

"Severus..."

"I would also advise you to investigate what bonehead gave her access to the restricted section since that potion is not specified in the general library. WHAT?" The last was directed to the quiet knock on the door.

"Journeyman Black with the preliminary plan approved by Madame Pomfrey, Medi-witch, Master Snape."

"Enter." Snape gave one cauldron a final stir and bottled it swiftly before taking the parchment Black held and giving it a swift once over. "Add anti-nausea draught to the list to brew...you'll need it."

"Yes, sir." Black moved to a small work station near the far wall, braided his hair back and switched from his schoolrobes to a plain robe, dragonhide apron and gloves before he began pulling out the books, cauldrons and ingredients he required.

"Last thing Minerva, ask the ghosts if anyone knows where the brewing occured...there may be other complications from the actual brewing which may affect the others."

"Green Harry reports the girls bathroom on the 2nd floor." Black was working with speed and skill while he delivered the news. "I spoke to Myrtle after I left the infirmary, and deem that the complications are not relevent or sufficient to require treatment...though I would suggest testing Weasley and Finnegan for no other reason than to make them aware of the perils of drinking potions provided by the non-certified."

"Is Miss Granger likely to experiment again?"

"Probably not, she was eaves-dropping on my discussion with Madame Pomfrey about the possible courses of action and I don't think she liked the options too much."

"Madame Pomfrey usual discusses consults in her office." Minerva was frowning, unable to balance her instinct of respect for a professional against her knowledge that authoritative character was a twelve year-old boy with attitude.

"Madame Pomfrey does not make a practice of silencing her room and Miss Granger left her bed."

"But..."

"Miss Ganger adhere's to the rules at her own convenience and otherwise ignores both the rules and good manners." Black was frowning at his work station. "Master Snape, my white ginger is less than my station record accounts for...have my scales been adjusted?"

"No, I took some and couldn't find your station record to adjust. How much do you need?"

"Another three pinches than I've got...anti-nausea draught is the only potion currently using it."

"Use mine and I'll order immediately." Snape moved across to add white ginger to his list while Black annexed the small jar from Snape's work station. "Leave your station record on your station stocks in future."

"Yes, Master Snape."

"I think I'll be going now." Minerva headed out without waiting for a response and decided to visit Poppy. Another perspective would be good under the circumstances.

**XXXXXX**

"Headmaster said to say if Black Elf Kreacher said anything interesting to Happy?" Tippy was twisting her tea-towel uneasily.

"Kreacher has visited?" Dumbledore blinked and studied the little elf carefully.

"Yes...Kreacher often visits, and always after being called by one of the young masters."

"A young master had called Kreacher?"

"Master Hades Black wished for some ingredients from his private potions laboratory and so called for Kreacher...they has been brewing very busily for weeks now."

"I take it that the visits usually aren't interesting?" Dumbledore was feeling slightly confused.

"Elf talk not interest Headmaster." Tippy switched her tea-towel for an ear.

"Something came up?"

"Kreacher apparently was passing messages...Malfoy Elf Dobby has been researching Hogwarts legislature concerning boards and staff. Is interesting?"

"Thankyou." Dumbledore sank back in his seat and pondered the potential ramifications of a Malfoy House Elf researching board and staff. With the basilisk matter still unresolved Dumbledore considered such a field of research worrying when it came to Lucius Malfoy...all Malfoy needed was a temporary stooge put in over the Headmaster's head and he would get his hands on that wretched book. Worrying thoughts and not much he could do to prevent it if Lucius Malfoy chose to act.

**XXXXXX**

"I do believe that you've failed...again." Snape's expression was rather distainful as he waved away drifting smoke. The class were actually pretty good at the evacuation these days, though as ever there were a few peering through the door to see what could be seen through the smoke.

"Possibly." Hades Black was scowling venomously at the cauldron.

"Another two points to Mr Longbottom for defeating your attempt...minus five points from Mr Black for failing." Snape was silent for a moment, then waved the class to return to their seats. "Three more points for Mr Longbottom...for not upsetting the cauldron by his terrified quivering...Black might just figure out how he messed up this time."

"Oh dear, they broke even...please take a few more points off Black, sir." Malfoy's dry observation, as he resumed his seat and assessed the state of his potion, darkened Snape's scowl significantly.

"Perhaps next lesson, Mr Malfoy." Snape swept away to growl at someone else as the last of the smoke was drawn from the classroom. He trusted that Black would have kept hold of this last effort, that explosion should have plastered the contents of the cauldron all over the room as well as fragmenting the cauldron...that the external effects had been nothing more than a loud bang and a fair bit of smoke of the least toxic variety...useful to say the least. Definite progress at last.

**XXXXXX**

"Christmas to Easter and three months of no attacks at all. Father's somewhat intrigued it worked so well and probably lying fit to make even our ancestors turn, but he also says they'll probably resume soon so he's warning Hades in particular to up his study wards since whenever the basilisk next hits, you won't get much warning before someone attempts a retaliatory killing."

"Daiyati mentioned your father was hoping to eject Dumbledore so he could initiate another search and lay claim to that damnable volume."

"I'm not certain what he plans...everyone knows about the volume now and the fact that Dumbledore blocked my father...which also means that the Dark Lord knows what's happening. I am quite certain my father does not intend to hand that little volume over."

"Then I hope he's discarded the plot to depose Dumbledore...let him know that Green Harry thinks he knows who will have the diary if it goes back into use again. We'll deal with it if it surfaces again."

"I'll pass that on...but to be honest father rather dislikes Dumbledore and wouldn't mind disturbing him."

"Valid point and whatever...Gryffindor verse Hufflepuff...I think I'll get my extra reading done tomorrow, one of you maniacs can fill me in on the Quidditch results."

"Ooh, don't we feel special." Draco gathered the assorted Slytherins and departed, they had essays which required attention and there was talk of a Herbology project which they needed to prepare for. Busy, busy, busy...but with a little luck their peace wasn't going to end too soon.

**XXXXXX**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry about the delay, but here's a bit more. On the side, I was asked about the title of Daiyati. The word has no linguistic origins, it simply is what the characters used. Daiyati, as far as I can figure, is a name/title for a head of family who holds primary guardianship over you, but is not your father.

**Chapter 10:**

Sirius Black scowled at the ceiling as he tried to find something else he 'needed' to do in an effort to escape what he really had to do. He'd visited Mrs Dursley, under orders from Narcissa, to provide them with a building which would soon enough be registered as a Public School with limited boarding facilities...those without family had to stay somewhere. It was a school which would take non-magical children as well as the magical children, the warding was going to be fun. He'd visited Green Harry and commiserated over the fact that Green Harry couldn't tell what he saw without permission...given the current basilisk issues his distress was understandable. Sirius groaned his resignation as he realised that the only procrastination left was actually worse than what he was procrastinating about.

"Disgraceful Moron summoned Kreacher?"

"No." Sirius jumped to his feet. "But please, prepare the purification room and then absent yourself to Hogwarts for the next three days."

"Kreacher will." The small elf was gone and Sirius got to his feet before turning his attention towards his next task. The wards of the house were a beastly necessity, mostly because it required multiple trips through the purification room, which was the magical equivalent of a scouring...though Narcissa swore by the results as the prep for public functions. Sirius tended to object to the knowledge that he had literally had every cell in his person cleaned and all dead cells removed. It had, however, been the first room he'd visited after arriving in the house after Azkaban. The purification room was one of the secrets behind the family wards, because to actually set foot outside the actual house without first passing through was a very effective way to die. To not be re-purified every third hour was also a sure way to die...the skeletons and randomly strewn bones were discouraging enough, but the fact that most were pretty well gnawed on discouraged personal experimentation with skipping the purification step. Muttering direfully of getting scoured out of existance, he ignored Kreacher's cheer, and pondering how to lure Voldemort into testing whether immortality could stand up to this most basic form of defence he made his way eventually out the far door and onto the swamp of darkness and death which really was the greatest Black defence of them all. There were no records of who had caused the swamp, or why a Black chose to build there after it was carefully warded and lost by the Ministry...but the number of inferi tended Sirius to support Hades version of history, which included a major war and a curse from the ancient god Pan whose wrath over a destroyed forest knew no bounds. Hades also said that the Blacks were guardians of the swamp, which was the main reason Sirius doubted the story, he couldn't figure why a swamp, warded out of existance in all minds but the Head and primary Heir's, needed any sort of guardian...the swamp was in no danger of being discovered, and even if it was, it was a swamp which even magic couldn't drain. Definitely not a guardianship of any value, and a great bore in truth since, as the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, it was his duty to do the bi-annual maintenance, which ensured the house didn't sink too far, the beasties didn't invade the actual house, and that the moisture didn't get in. There was a stone in the Master bedroom which gave a status condition on the wards which stretched across the swamp, inside the Ministry's original wards, and that saved Sirius from a bi-annual trek across the unknown miles of swamp to check the individual wards. Legend had it that the bi-annual check took six months to complete before the ward-stone had been created to monitor the outlying wards, and death had not been uncommon since three hours was really not very long when you were wading around in a swamp.

**XXXXXX**

"What did you do that to her for?" The scream was the only warning Hades Black had before the magic hit his wards. It was an hysterical wall of magic, half intentional, half accidental and it rippled over his wards. For a long and silent moment Hades simply inspected how his ward had managed the wave of magic, then he'd turned his head and looked for the most rational expression in immediate proximity.

"Which Gryffindor's been petrified now?"

"Trying to say it wasn't you?" The query was rather snide.

"I suspect you will find that the Fat Lady is willing to stand witness that she has given no ingress or egress since lunchtime when I elected to read over watching us get unnecessarily trounced at quidditch. I repeat, who's been pertrified?"

"Granger...near the library."

"Well, so much for peace...anyone else?"

"A Ravenclaw...Clearwater...pureblood and a prefect. Staff's in a frightful bait."

"No surprise, they actually semi-believed the legend that the beast is targetted."

"You think it's not?"

"If it was, would it have petrified a cat on its first go?" Hades reset his ward and then resumed reading.

"You are creepily unworried."

"Nothing I can do will save me from a Basilisk and I'll be pulled from classes as soon as the Mandrakes are of age, I've got to get my exam prep done sooner rather than later." Hades didn't even bother to glance up, Pluto was already filling him in on the rules which Sprout was apparently laying down for the safety of Hufflepuff. If the other houses followed that lead, the rest of the year was going to be intolerable and brewing with Snape was going to be even worse.

**XXXXXX**

"Ooh." There was no one to hear the little exclamation at the darkest hour of the night, or the giggle which followed. There was also no one to see the staircase which, though it never deviated from the straight and was a normal length staircase, left you standing on the original landing after you'd climbed all of the stairs. "I wonder..." Within less than an hour Hogwarts had undergone a reconstruction which would ensure that absolutely everyone was late for breakfast and most of their classes since several staircases and corridors had somehow gone missing along with a section of the second floor...that no one could get out as much as no one could get in was a fact which was missed by most. The Staff raged solo and in chorus over the 'prank', with the single exception of Snape who had hijacked the first Black he saw that morning and demanded a location of Green Harry. It hadn't taken the little ghost long to explain and Snape had taken a moment to smile appreciation at his former student before he requested directions to get between the Great Hall and the dungeons, all other places were irrelevent in his opinion...though he'd also count the Great Hall irrelevent if Dumbledore hadn't made it a school rule that staff attend at least two meals a day...someday he was going to find out why Trelawney was not subject to that rule, but for now he preferred to comply and rest in confidence that house elves never went among his stuff.

**XXXXXX**

If Petunia Dursley had been told a year ago what the future held for her she would have cheerfully written the person off as insane. It was not a year ago though, it was not someone speaking to her, this was literally her life and she'd ceased being a housewife and was now a Headmistress of a school which was growing alarmingly quickly. It had been rather awkward at first with the whole magic and school thing, though Vernon had become less offensive after Black had snidely observed that computers were more magic than any wand-waving wizard-kind dreamt up. Vernon had tried to prove Black wrong by teaching the man about computers, but that had proven expensive as wizards and computers were mutually exclusive. Electric tea-pots, telephones, fridges, microwaves and hot-water cylinders soon joined the list and Vernon had settled for banning anyone magical from touching anything which used electricity...for the present. Vernon had taken it as a personal insult that wizards could actually blow tech up just by touching it and Petunia was quite confident that sometime in the next few years Vernon would produce a fix to wizard-proof technology.

"Petunia!" It was Lady Malfoy who'd just arrived.

"Narcissa." Petunia appologetically raised her grubby hands as explanation for the greeting which was verbal only.

"I've got the list of muggleborns for next year and I suggest you request Sirius to contact the Weasleys...actually, no, do not send Sirius, they'd never listen to him...best send Mr Finch-Fletchley, tell him to think up some excuse, but make sure they know about your school."

"Why?"

"Draco said that Harry is watching Miss Weasley...a nice girl, but rather sadly lacking in proper upbringing. At present she'd make a good, but common, wife...her bloodlines are good, she has distinction and she badly needs some self-confidence which she'd get if she was taught social graces. Poor child had six older brothers. Your school would be good for her and Harry wouldn't be watching her if she wasn't somehow connected to the fiasco with the school. Tell Sirius to approach the Longbottom matriarch as well...wretched woman is too convinced that her grandson is a squib. Tell Sirius to tell her of this wonderful school which includes a muggle curriculum...and then make certain young Neville sees your psychologist person because Augusta is bound to insult the poor boy out of existance in changing his school."

"Sirius is in the back-shed with Vernon, bring him in and I'll call Mr Finch-Fletchley...though what he's going to say to Mr Weasley..." Petunia's gesture was one of speaking despair.

"He can recruit Arthur to help magic-proof electronics, wretched man adores plugs and is less damaging than Sirius...besides which I require my cousin and I'll thankyou to deprive him of his excuse that he's needed here."

"He claims he's needed here?" Petunia had gone rather red. "You have my permission to torment him with any and every social event you can imagine...he's been corrupting Vernon."

"Corrupting?"

"Vernon was a self-respecting and normal man before he decided to prove you magicals could use a computer. Since then I have not been able to turn around without finding out that something new has been done to the car."

"Boys and their toys, my dear...be thankful the motorcycle is believed to have been destroyed."

"That wouldn't happen to be a very large and very black monstrosity with a front headlight which can literally wink?"

"Oh dear...well, be happy, you need never fear injury in an accident...or running out of petrol...needing to change tyres...having the paintwork scratched...have insufficient space within the car...I think Sirius got fifteen people on his wretched motorcycle once. The police won't fine you for any traffic offences either...for that matter you may as well relax because you'll never have to worry about rush hour traffic again...it'll probably fly as well if you ever need to escape the country because our Ministry objects to you having an enspelled car...even though you are clearly outside of their jurisdiction and muggle law doesn't have any views on the subject." Narcissa seemed pensive for a moment. "How dreadful, I am apparently an upright and law-abiding adult. Tea?"

**XXXXXX**

"Mr Black." Severus Snape was studying the floor with a curious expression.

"Master Snape?" Hades Black ceased operation on the fine weed which was his current torment, and recently delivered by Kreacher.

"Did that house-elf just refer to you as Horrible Dung-smelling Yah-tack Monster...or was that just my imagination?"

"To be frank I am quite certain that is precisely what he called me, but Daiyati insists on making a point of appologising for Kreacher's speech-defect which so distorts his words...enraged house-elves are not pretty, they turn a greenish-pink which has some weird name I never have remembered."

"What might yah-tack mean?"

"No idea...but Kreacher doesn't use it in the presence of goblins so we're pretty confident of the word's origins." Hades resumed operation on the fine weed, he didn't have much time to spare. "The implications assure us it isn't polite though."

"That appears to be a reasonable assumption." Snape turned back to his own work with a vague wonder of what Black and Lucius were up to now, he hoped it wouldn't have him hauled into another after hours meeting ith the Headmaster, the last one had been quite bad enough, even though it had ensured that no one could be assigned to the school with more clout than Dumbledore.

**XXXXXX**

It was pain which drew Green Harry to the second floor. Pain from Hogwarts. Staring at what remained of a wall, Green Harry couldn't help but flinch. Someone with a serious issue had just become impatient over the staircases and hallways which isolated a large chunk of the second floor, the holes were large enough to drive a good-sized truck through. The new lines of writing on the wall didn't rate consideration against Hogwarts' pain.

"My goodness." The exclamation at the first wall gave Green Harry just enough time to gulp and hide before the staff reached the critical hallway. Exactly why Harry felt so driven to hide from the staff he couldn't say, but resistance was rather impossible, particularly if his suspicion that Hogwarts was behind the impulse was correct.

"A student?" Flitwick by the sound.

"Certainly not staff." Snape sounding thoroughly unimpressed. "Might I suggest putting the school into lockdown?"

"Oh, yes, of course." McGonagal in a flap, a most unusual thought. Harry drifted off as the booming announcement rang through the school sending all students to their common rooms and summoning all staff to the staffroom. Not student, staff, nor really a ghost. Harry drifted uncertainly before he decided that family came first, and that meant he needed to find Fai'lo now.

**XXXXXX**

Gilderoy Lockhart was stuffing his possessions into his bags as fast as he could snatch them up. Fight Slytherin's monster? He wasn't a fool. Anyone could see where this war was going to end since the Dark Lord could infiltrate even Hogwarts under Dumbledore's long and crooked nose. He needed to pack, he needed a way out and he needed a plan. Shirt in hand, Lockheart paused as his mind threw forward an idea which seemed ideal from every angle. Fai'lo Black was practically a squib, the Potter heir and number three on the Dark Lord's 'I will give anything to get' list. The perfect gift to bring when changing sides. He just had to finish packing and find the boy before departing.

**XXXXXX**

"Ahh, there you are Mr Black." Gilderoy Lockhart had been more than a little relieved that Filius Flitwick had simply accepted his statement that he needed the help of a Black for the task he had been set. "I've been asked to deal with the basilisk and the Headmaster encouraged me to seek your help."

"Permission given." Fai'lo Black seemed to speak from a very great distance, but then the silver-streaked green eyes focussed on the DADA Professor. "I doubt I'll be much help, but very well sir." Black stood up, tidied his thing into a bag and passively followed Lockhart out of the Ravenclaw commonroom. Internally Lockhart was cheering, but he would not have been had he heard the explosive cursing which shattered Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Commonrooms or seen the two boys whom Hogwarts swallowed to bypass the lockdown. Hades and Pluto Black were on the war path and they were going to make sure Lockhart followed the script he was claiming...time to find out whether a five times winner of Witch Weeklies most charming smile award, could charm a basilisk!

**XXXXXX**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11:**

"Oh, Professor Lockhart!" A relieved greeting which came quite literally from mid-air as one of the other Black's landed lightly on his feet immediately in front of them a second or two later. Gilderoy Lockhart had never bothered learning how to tell the other two Black's apart utilising the general name of Spike and ignoring all three as much as possible. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"You have?" Gilderoy Lockhart tried on a smile for size, but it soon withered to a pained grimace as he heard what Fai'lo Black was saying.

"Spike, I've been telling him I'm not the one to ask for the Chamber's location, but he won't believe me."

"That's obvious." The tone was withering. "You're headed in completely the wrong direction."

"Th-the wrong direction?" Lockhart was aware that his tone was far too close to a squeak for dignity, but that horrible boy had grabbed a sleeve and was heading back into the guts of the castle. Gilderoy Lockhart managed one last glimpse of freedom and fame, so close and yet so far away...he would have been welcomed as Lockhart and feted for bringing the boy...all that now lost around a corner of grey stone. Why, oh why did the horrible boy have to know where the Chamber of Secrets was hidden.

**XXXXXX**

To call the current environment volatile was pushing the boundaries of understatement. In a school under lockdown five students were missing and one teacher. The teacher was no loss, and three of the students were irrelevent also since most of the staff would like to lose them, but Albus Dumbledore had summoned the Weasleys himself. Mrs Weasley was taking the disappearance of two of her offspring very badly. That their daughter was the most likely victim mentioned in the message on the wall was given, since all the other absentees were male. Loss of an only daughter to a monster was reasonable cause for grief and should have been easily bundled off to the hospital to wait out the next few days. That was until Sirius Black had ambled into the room looking excrutiatingly bored. Why Sirius Black had shown up was more than a slight mystery, and it was like adding a lit match to a powder keg. The Weasleys had promptly accused the man's wards of having stolen their children and though Dumbledore couldn't think of a way to refute the accusation he didn't get a chance to even try and diffuse the situation.

"I've no doubt they've got their reasons if they did." Black was slouching, his eyes fixed on his pocket watch, which was even more complicated than Dumbledore's. "Headmaster...have you confirmed yet that it was Lockhart who removed Fai'lo from the Ravenclaw Commonroom?"

"Filius has confirmed that he gave Gilderoy permission to question Fai'lo Black about the whereabouts of the Chamber of Secrets."

"Well, that was stupid." Black closed his watch with a snap and stood up. "Spike was the one who knew about the Chamber, not Fai'lo...call me when they all return since I've no doubt that's where Spike's vanished to...and given Hades' last letter they'll probably bring the two Weasleys, or their remains, back with them since Hades said that the boy had developed an irritating habit of following him." Somehow Black managed to leave the office unhurriedly, yet still get the door firmly closed before Molly's spell exploded against it.

**XXXXXX**

"Hel..." Ginny Weasley had jerked upright, began to speak before falling silent as she stared around herself in confusion. She had no idea where she was and the dead snake larger than her house wasn't helping at all.

"Brandysnap?" The wary query came from somewhere nearby and was like a douche bath to panic.

"Spike." Ginny found where the boy sat, half hidden by shadows, and bolted across to burrow into his side.

"Only scrapes and bruises?" The next query came several minutes later when Ginny finally eased off her grip on the boy.

"Yes." Ginny scrubbed her face dry on her sleeve. "Sorry for bawling...Harry told me I should tell...I just..." she left it, unable to even begin to think of words to cover the situation.

"Two generations of premium negotiators were lost to that boy...I am all too well aware of his impact when he puts his mind to it." Hades sounded more than a little tired. "If those versed in the dark magic can be taken in by him, I can assure you that the daughter of the light need feel no guilt or responsibility for failing to realise the peril...though next time you find an interactive bit of magic you don't know the history...please get the damn thing checked out."

"But..." Ginny stopped, her panic and subsequent relief sufficiently passed to start thinking. "Why are you here?"

"Harry...Hogwarts...Fai'lo...your brother."

"Which?"

"Me." Somehow three more people had arrived in the chamber and Ginny found herself in the comforting grip of family. "You alright?" Ron's expression was worried.

"She's fine...physically, a few scrapes and bruises." Pluto Black had a grip on both Weasleys and was dragging them towards the tunnel and the way out. "You two coming any time soon?"

"No."

"Why not?" Ron looked back curiously at the two figures that seemed to be doing something lost in the shadows as they were.

"Got a basilisk to prep for rendering...we'll be up in about an hour."

"Right." Pluto gave a very slight wince. "Do I need...?"

"No." The response was rather too curt.

"Keep safe and I want in on the render." Pluto closed the door carefully behind himself and took a moment before he began leading the two Weasleys back to where Lockhart was hopefully still waiting...at least it had only been Fai's wand the twit had grabbed with whatever nasty intent he'd had...not like scrambled eggs was such a bad fate...the man was unlikely to ever remember that he'd ever been otherwise. The Bounty Hunter who'd got hold of Hades' wand had a perfectly fine brain...but something got messed up because the man had been partially spastic and no matter how clear his mind, he could not communicate...even legillimency was messed, for Sirius had checked on that one after it became apparent that speech and writing were out...not that the hunter had suffered the condition for long. The mindless minions of Voldemort tended to have very short life-spans.

"Wha..." Ginny was staring at a mass of tumbled and melted rock. Pluto shook himself out of his thoughts and glanced around, noting that Lockhart was indeed still there.

"That's Pluto Black in a VERY big hurry." Ron's tone was slightly awed. "We kinda got split up by this...why Black went for you alone since the other two were helping to shift this lot...couple of minutes ago this one swore up a storm, told us to stand back...next thing I know that other one dragged me to one side and rock was dripping everywhere...I still reckon that was dark magic."

"Dragon's Breath is a mining spell...not even slightly grubby." Pluto glanced away from his study of the walls in the area and then gave a shrug, it would hold...possibly hold for longer than the rest of the tunnels. "It only works on rock...clearly there's nothing of value in these tunnels or it would have pooled on the floor. You'd have been fine if Fai hadn't moved you...scared stupid, but fine."

"You saying I scare easy?" Ron's expression became pugnacious.

"No, I'm observing that human instinct doesn't appreciate being enveloped in flame...been in the way of that spell and I promise you, that's one thing I never intend to do again, even knowing that it won't hurt me."

"What happened to Professor Lockhart?"

"Not totally sure...but I do know it's because he grabbed Fai's wand with intent to harm one of us." Pluto gave a shrug. "Probably Hades or myself given how the roof came down."

"How did you three get involved? I've been following Black for days...I knew he was up to something and then when... breaking the lockdown and so followed him since I figured it might lead to Ginny...but the rest wasn't explained." Ron scratched the side of his head as he thought back over the last mad hour.

"Moaning Myrtle...she got killed by the basilisk last time...not sure why the Headmaster never questioned her or, if he did, elected not to persue the information she could supply. Hades had been talking to her and got all the info...I think he was heading to the Headmaster when all went pear-shaped. We'd just untangled that when Weasley caught up with us again." Pluto gave a shrug.

"Why'd Lockhart grab Fai?" Ginny was worried.

"Double value and less trouble." Pluto's grin was a sudden flash. "Lockhart knew he couldn't get me or Hades. Grab Fai though...get's him someone to blame the Basilisk on who will be considered plausible...so, loads of fame and another book or two. Second bonus lay in the fact that Fai's the Potter Heir and a Black...the Dark Lord has a distinctly large bounty out for any of us...and a slightly larger one out for Fai."

"Why does you-know-who want you?" Ron's expression was intent. "There's loads of people he wants dead, but he doesn't go around putting massive bounties on them...and then there's the whole fact that he wants you alive...dead's acceptable, but he's a lot more interested in you being breathing."

"We're Blacks. The Dark Lord wants the Vampires on side, but Blacks are the Vampiric Negotiators. Daiyati is the current negotiator, but he's not playing ball with the Dark Lord. Dark Lord figures that if he gets us, Daiyati will cave. He also figures if he can get Daiyati than that will also fix the problem. We've got safeguards against it happening...but we're our own first defence."

"That why the spell came out of the wrong end?" Ron gave a slight scratch of his head and then whistled softly.

"If we've lost our wand, we don't want someone with less than fuzzy feelings for us using it on us...they get hit with whatever they cast...well, more or less." Pluto gave a shake of his head. "Let's get this twit moving...or they'll finish prep and catch up with us and we'll never hear the end of that!"

**XXXXXX**

"You alright?" Fai'lo Black had sunk back onto his heels with a tired sigh after banishing the nifty illusion which had been the dead basilisk. Precisely why Hades had done it was beyond him, considering the circumstances, but getting rid of it was a necessity before continuing. The ongoing lack of response caused Fai to crouch down next to his brother and study him with a detached and careful gaze. To say the least they were all hoping that the two Weasleys were too traumatised and distracted by the basilisk illusion to note that Hades' voice had been too deep and smooth, with an accent which could only be described as archaic. There'd be hell to pay if it was ever truly comprehended what Hades and Pluto were, because muggle drugs and magic did not mix.

"He's...alive." The words were chosen with clear deliberation and the eyes which opened were smeary silver and green.

"This might take more than the hour." Fai had taken one limp, bloody hand into his own grasp, but he was still hesitant because he simply never had done this and confidence in a theory didn't sound so hot when two lives were on the line and one death.

"You've got the hour...contract won't hold after and the bite will kill him."

"Sorry, sorry...forgot." Fai'lo dithered for a moment before he took a steadying breath and focussed on the task at hand. "You said you could do it without getting bit."

"I said within reasonable bounds there would be no bites too worry."

"Fine." Fai took a deep breath and focussed, he had a brother to save and a price to pay. No time for dithering because Hades would not specifically mention limits unless they were very close...and basilisk venom really wasn't funny even in the best scenario.

**XXXXXX**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12:**

Albus Dumbledore was enjoying his sweet greatly as he pondered the appropriate wording for the letter he was currently writing. Letters were an artform, particularly when you needed to gloat without being so crass as actually gloating. Sirius Black had been all but shouting 'DOOM' from the towers whenever the idea of even the possibility of executing the supposed basilisk was mentioned. Admittedly the wards had rather screamed, but no one had realised until later that it marked the passing of the basilisk...and the fact that the wards were now stronger than ever was a testament to the inaccuracies of Sirius Black's doom saying over the importance of the basilisk to the ward scheme...as if a school like Hogwarts would rely on such a dark and destructive creature as a ward anchor. A letter just had to be written under the circumstances so young Mr Black understood the dangers of such dogmatic behaviour when not really understanding the circumstances.

**XXXXXX**

_Fai-lo,_  
_Just writing to let you know that Suzanne Aemry passed away peacefully and has been cremated as per her wish with no autopsy performed. Family and friends send you their thanks and best wishes, but are grieved to know one of your brothers was put in such peril. I mention this to you in view of your concern that the exchange would include the method of death. I advocate your reluctance to heal by this method, but reassure you that it causes no unnecessary suffering...must be the unicorn blood._

_You can share this letter with the others, I'll be damned if I write another tonight...let alone two. I'm not fool enough to congratulate you idiots either. What possessed you to get taken captive by Lockheart? Why did you let him get your wand? Please let your aging and infirm guardian know if he needs to die of humiliation in the short-term. It needs to be arranged or it will lack appropriate drama._

_Let Hades know that the Archon has reported a two fold increase of Hogwarts' ward, he regrets he will not be visiting until the summer._

_Let Pluto know his Devil's Snare is dead, my appologies but I did warn him that I was no gardener and things tended to die simply because I'm in the building._

_Let Spike know that I received the memory of the basilisk and am relieved to know that the theory was sound in practice...next time you re-ward a basilisk don't get bitten!_

_Get home safely or I'll never live it down._

_Professor Snape says he's keeping Hades out of class...please find out why and tell me if I should be concerned Fai._

_Sirius_

**XXXXXX**

"Minerva." That Snape had addressed her and was smiling was enough for Minerva McGonagal to wonder why the pending armageddon hadn't been identified by someone. She'd thought everything was fine, particularly since there hadn't been a Black in Gryffindor all week and the monster was no more, there was a bit of friction as the stress eased, but the school seemed to be as it had been in pre-Black days.

"What?" Minerva took her usual seat and glanced down at her Gryffindors. They seemed perfectly happy for a friday morning under the circumstances...they wouldn't be for long. The fact that Severus was back at the staff table meant that Hades Black was most likely going to be back at the Gryffindor table soon. Not happy making.

"I'm keeping Spike busy 'til the end of the next week."

"Why?" Minerva snapped her head to stare at Severus, not only was the news surprising, but rather unbelieveable.

"Mm...well, you remember thinking that the cold war was the worst, only to see it superceded by open warfare?"

"Ye-es." Minerva felt a prickle of dread.

"There is something worse than open warfare between your Gryffindors."

"Oh?" The prickle had become an engorged millipede in spiky boots with aspirations to become a flamenco dancer.

"The two Spikes have declared war for some reason I have not been able to ascertain yet." Snape hesitated for a moment. "I will also be speaking to Pomona later...but I strongly advise bringing Sirius Black in for a conference and to head-up the peace negotiation team."

"Why?"

"I've seen those two fight for fun...and I have no wish to witness a real fight."

"Wha..." Minerva hesitated as her mind abruptly put together several days worth of puzzling information with odd occurances from when Sirius Black was a student...suddenly she doubted that the prevalence of small arguments over petty matters had anything to do with the relief of no Slytherin Monster. "How can they draw other students into their fights?"

"They're Blacks...they will never do what they can get others to do for them." Snape was quiet for a moment. "We sort their fight out and they will stomp on what they've started...but I can't call a parent conference."

"Get Pomona, I'm going to speak to the Headmaster." Minerva was gone, breakfast and classes forgotten in the face of this nightmare. She really didn't want to consider where the school might be if Snape had not kept Hades Black holed up first with the mandrake potion and now with whatever hell-brew he had dreamt up to occupy the boy. The fight had obviously been going since before the mandrakes matured and it explained the sense of simmering tension which had enveloped the school in the aftermath of the Basilisk. Why Snape hadn't spoken sooner would have to be explained at some point...she just hoped Snape was right in his belief that if the two boys were brought to settle the fight that they would deal with what they had stirred up.

**XXXXXX**

"While we wait for Mr Black to arrive...would someone please explain what is going on?" Albus Dumbledore was frowning and looking more than a little tired.

"Hades and Pluto Black are fighting over something I have not been able to drag out of either one of them...which tells me that it's a Black Thing and the Dark Lord himself won't get a word out of them." Snape spoke curtly. "The situation was brought to my attention by Mr Malfoy, who was justifiably concerned."

"A row between brothers hardly warrents calling in a parent for conference."

"Headmaster, this is not just a row between brothers." Snape's tone was clipped. "This is a row between Blacks...and if your antiquated memory can manage the stretch, you may recall what happens when Blacks aren't talking to each other. This has already gone far beyond not talking and unless it is resolved soon you will have an intra-familial feud on your hands...and you need to consult History of Magic to find that the last intra-familial feud involved Weasleys, occured six hundred years ago and resulted in eight dead students and two dead staff members. Dueling is no longer legal, but that doesn't stop the stupidity which fuels a lethal duel. Eight dead students and two dead staff...and you're willing to risk a Black intra-familial feud?" Snape hesitated for a moment and then closed his mouth, whatever had been on the verge of being said was left unsaid.

**XXXXXX**

"Hey, Harry." Sirius Black took a moment to hug the small ghost who always met him at the school gate. He could floo directly to the headmaster's office, but that would waste this invariably sound excuse for walking and talking with Harry.

"Sirius." The little ghost gave a giggle. "Why are you here?"

"Called in for a parent conference...very scary."

"Oh dear."

"That tells me that you know what this problem is and have already been sworn to silence." Sirius glanced at the boy. "You couldn't fix it?"

"I think...they didn't want me to fix it." Harry bobbed uncertainly. "It's...they could fix it themselves if they'd talk...'cept they haven't spoken anyhow since it started."

"Do you know who's holding the lockdown?"

"Hades...Pluto started it over something Spike did and Hades slammed all doors and hasn't spoken to anyone outside of Master Snape."

"Either of them being dosed?"

"I don't know...but Master Snape has been keeping Hades out of circulation to keep a lid on things."

"Why am I called in now?"

"Master Snape realised keeping Hades out of circulation wasn't enough."

"Merlin." Sirius let out a breath and then gave a slight shake of his head. "I've no doubt I'll find out all too much soon enough. How's the reading going?"

"Oh, Spike's set things up so I can turn my own pages..." As Harry babbled away Sirius let his mind drift, enjoying the memories of days when such topics would have been new and fascinating.

Sirius made a mental note to himself as he mounted the stairs for the Headmaster's office, this was the eighth time he'd visited the Headmaster's office, and Harry had yet to accompany him beyond the foot of the stairs. Was Harry afraid? or was some other emotion behind the act...infact, a moment of thought brought to mind the fact that Harry invariably was 'not there' whenever staff, apart from Snape, were there.

"This is not convenient." Sirius Black elected to let the staff know just how annoyed he actually was at being called to visit.

"Tell that to your confounded brats." Snape gave a sniff and a sneer.

"I didn't see any structural damage and no one seemed to be in mourning so I fail to see why this couldn't have been addressed by the usual letter.

"Severus is of the opinion that you needed to be called in to settle something which he has opined to be a Black Thing." Minerva's mouth was thin.

"Really?" Sirius swivelled intent eyes to Snape.

"Malfoy drew my attention to the fact that none of them were talking...he also noted that Fai'lo was being very neutral...and that means the coins aren't changing hands."

"Get the fat-heads up here." Sirius shook his head, muttered rather rudely under his breath and turned aside to begin construction on a rather vile looking concoction...he was in a bad mood and he saw no reason to not share it with anyone who wasn't Harry.

"They didn't arrive together." Snape's comment was thoughtful in tone and received an acknowledging nod from Sirius. If Spike wasn't arriving somewhere together, then the two boys really weren't talking.

"This better be worth the trouble of me coming here." Sirius' scowl was a serious challenge for the nastiest scowl in the school and it was rather impatiently that he pushed two cups of fluid towards the boys who were carefully keeping their distance from each other.

"Yes, sir." There was a silent moment, then Pluto Black consumed the contents of one cup. Hades was simply staring blankly at the cup which was now hovering pointedly in front of him.

"Hades." The tone was warning.

"No." Snape abruptly looked up from his book and vanished whatever was in the cup just as Hades took the glass.

"Snape?" Black's tone was dark.

"He's already dosed, Black...I give you my word, he is dosed."

"What is that?" Dumbledore seemed concerned.

"Family secret...but it guarantees that I am talking to the host and not some archived soul...means they can't duck punishment by claiming that I only told Schmargle the Ugly from 1343."

"Schmargle the Ugly?"

"From 1343 and don't you forget it...part troll if you're fool enough to believe them."

"Then that's probably who's been cutting loose for the past few days. You got Hades and Pluto dosed and waiting...get talking before they decide to trade out."

"Right." Black was silent for a moment, then gave a brief nod and took a moment before he resettled on his seat. The face which Sirius Black lifted to the group bore an expression, or lack thereof, that had not been seen in Hogwarts before. "Pluto?" The query was flat.

"It was during the basilisk thing...I hexed Hades for it and thought all was fine. Hades went ballistic!"

"Hades?" Attention shifted to the other boy.

"He hexed me without verifying that the repercussions had passed." Hades' expression was closed and his tones were clipped.

"Dosing?" Sirius was frowning slightly.

"I should make it to the holidays...Master Snape has been watching me."

"Snape?"

"His dose is pretty high, but the blood-tests show only minimal accumulation and as yet no toxic symptoms."

"You really need him?" Sirius had taken a moment to think before looking at Snape seriously. "Exams have already been cancelled after all."

"I would prefer that he remained...summer stocks."

"Merlin...now that's a nasty thought." Black closed his eyes for a moment, when he reopened them, he focussed on the two boys. "You idiots talking now?"

"Yes, sir." There had been a moment of silence before the reply came.

"Good, then figure out a way to reduce the dose levels...I'm not interested in a repeat of last year."

"No sir."

"If it becomes apparent that you can't get the levels down, then Pluto comes home."

"Yes, sir."

"Master Snape, from tomorrow they may not go above the April limit. If they do, Pluto is sent home immediately and Hades is cut-off."

"Understood." Snape had winced faintly.

"Good, then I'm leaving." Sirius suited words with actions and stalked from the room without a glance at anyone, or even a proper farewell...but he'd barely closed the door before he wrenched it back open to scowl at the two boys again. "Whatever cottoned Malfoy on to the fact that you two were at odds had better not be still around when I next hear about you." The door was slammed even more vigorously and Sirius Black had definitely departed.

"I do believe Daiyati's ticked." Hades had extended a hand towards his brother. The silence was very long, but Pluto finally handed over a black bag.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Because you hexed before I could speak and then I was too busy to even think...let alone talk...and keep in mind that Fai's methods are very scrambling...should have told Daiyati that actually." Hades gave a slight shrug, a nod to the present staff and then departed with his brother in tow. They had Fai to find and a Malfoy to chew out before turning their attention to just how they were going to deal with the dose matter.

**XXXXXX**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** That potion was a rather nasty bit of Black history which enables an experimenter to speak to the original soul of a possessed party (the better to determine if the torment is adequate). The Black's weren't interested in the long-term survival of their possessed experiments so the potion is rather toxic with a detox from hell (originally designed to do the job and not be immediately lethal). Basically, when Spike drinks that potion, he's putting a chemical prison around the collective for about an hour and the longer he's dosed for the more potent the dose has to be to work and the bigger party the collective chucks when it's finally let free. The general party from 'below the April limit', Hades and Pluto can control (and yes, 'the April limit' was the month when they determined just how strong a dose the boys could take and still control. Above 'the April limit' and the detox is long and slow or Hades and Pluto will be lost within themselves as they were before the blood-rituals, a party to end all parties by the collective. Sirius Black has lived with that once and won't stand for it happening again. Too many questioned this to ignore and I simply can't think of a way to put this information in the story without it being too horribly preachy.

**Chapter 13:**

"SIRIUS BLACK!" The demand almost arrived before the flames had turned green.

"Hullo?" Sirius blinked towards his fire.

"We've trouble at the school and wouldn't mind a hand." Ermyntrude Data was a nice old biddy with a brain that was completely wrong for her appearance. She was the teacher of mathematics, and picking up Arithmancy at a terrifying speed. Ermyntrude was definite proof that no matter what limitations old dogs had, old cats took to new things like fish to water.

"On my way." Sirius barely stood up before he apparated, the trouble was serious and magical if he was called in as his presence on a family property would activate wards which were otherwise dormant and could not be adjusted. "There you are." Ermyntrude seemed more than a little relieved. "Remus and Seth report three, maybe four Death Eaters...middies." The final word was given with a vague shrug.

"Mid-level, smarter than the cannon-fodder and probably trying for a promotion." Sirius wrinkled his nose up.

"They won't have a specialised ward-breaker with them so as long as you keep the kids in the school they'll be safe." Sirius took a moment to study the warding stone. "If you can, let Remus and Seth know that they've got four within the boundary ward, but the fourth is hanging well back so this may be an official proceeding."

"Not going to stop us from inconveniencing them." Ermyntrude gave a nasty smile. "We've some new toys to test."

"Oh?"

"Just a bit of fun." Ermyntrude looked like she should have been everyone's favourite granny, but that smile was unsettling to say the least.

"And so it begins." Sirius settled himself into a comfortable chair and kept a close eye on the ward-stone, this was the school's fight and as much as anything they had to prove to themselves that their mixed staff could defend their children..and he'd never read anything which said a wardstone couldn't watch another wardstone and take notes for future refinement...perhaps sometime during the summer Spike would like to add serpent paths and a basilisk to this school as well...no better way to discourage surprise visits then preventing unauthorised magical transport.

**XXXXXX**

"Black?" Snape's query froze the class, everyone turning to look at the silent boy. Hades Black had not responded to the query, he simply continued to prod at the contents of his cauldron with a dazed and glassy expression. Longbottom was partially uncurled from his defensive ball and peeking into the cauldron which rested between the two boys. "Black!" Snape's query had become edged and irritable, but still garnered no response. "HADES!" It was a deafening roar which the Potion Master gave as he stalked towards the the student in question. Everyone but Black took several steps backwards. Black twitched slightly, prodded his potion one last time before looking up at Snape.

"It worked, sir." Black's eyes were still blind and glassy even though he was functioning again.

"Black?" Snape was frowning.

"It's behaving like the Potter Potion, sir." Black turned his attention back to the cauldron that held him so fascinated. "It's just so beautiful." Black prodded the potion again before abruptly throwing a handful of it into Malfoy's Cauldron. Malfoy frowned, until he noticed just how close his cauldron had been to exploding. "You never said it was this beautiful."

"Potter only ever made it to avert an explosion." Snape seemed almost as captivated as Black was by the contents of the cauldron. "I only ever saw the partially saturated form of this potion." Snape tore his attention away from the cauldron with some difficulty, moving to get his class back under control and some semblance of order back into the room. "Malfoy's cauldron probably contains the only form I've ever seen this potion in."

"It's still beautiful." Hades had ducked out of his seat to inspect Malfoy's cauldron.

"Will you shut up." Snape shoved Black back to his own workstation. "Don't forget the full write-up." Snape swept off to scowl at someone else. Here was hoping Spike actually could do the complete write-up, it was the acid test of whether or not Spike had done the actual work or had turned the effort over to a past soul...it also meant that there was a possibility of expanding the experimentation with more of the potion available and more people learning how to make it. Snape knew he was not the only person who saw the potential for some very valuable healing applications, but there was an off chance that this potion, like 'boing' could only be managed by the young. The mere thought of depending on the first couple of years of Hogwarts students to supply something like the Potter Potion made the soul curl up and cringe...even Spike's vast array of available souls would curl up and cringe. A nightmare to dismiss by...preventing Greengrass from destroying her cauldron.

"He might at least have given you some points for suceeding in whatever that foul brew was." Ron Weasley was grumbling softly while pushing the remains of his dessert around on his plate. It was not the first time he had said it, and it was not the first time he'd heard the flat reply, but it was the first time that other people would join in.

"No." Black didn't even bother looking up from his book. It was another badly marked potions book and the contents didn't half fascinate the boy, for he'd cast several layers of charms over the books so he could continue reading while he ate.

"Why?" Hermione Granger was badly confused, the potion was obviously important somehow, yet Hades seemed quite adamant that points shouldn't have been awarded. It made no sense.

"Potions such as that one should never be tainted by such petty matters as house points." Black turned back a page and frowned pensively over what he'd read.

"But..." Hermione stopped, startled by the soft snickering near at hand. "What are you laughing at?" She frowned at the small group huddled at the Ravenclaw table just behind her.

"Granger, he has no idea that anyone is talking to him."

"But..."

"OI! ALKVN!" Malfoy left his seat and leant over the Gryffindor table to firmly cuff the reading boy around the ears.

"Ouch." Black mumbled something else, rubbed his ears and then looked up with a frown at Malfoy. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"Your fellow housemates are outraged over the fact that you received no points for potions today."

"Why on earth would Snape give me points?" Black blinked at Malfoy in visible confusion. "I could create a cure for life and he'd still curse me and look around for someone to take points off."

"Well, Granger is confused that you deem the potion above house points."

"Of course it's above house points...but how does she know I think that?" Black turned his head to look at Hermione in utter confusion.

"You told her...after refusing to join Weasley in bewailing the fate of Gryffindor and the general nastiness of Snape."

"Oh." Black gave a shrug. "Next time, if you must disturb me, make it worthwhile." Black dug back into his reading and Malfoy withdrew from the Gryffindor Table sniggering softly under his breath. The Gryffs were totally gobsmacked. Even with a year of exposure, the Gryffindors clearly had no idea what to make of Hades Black.

**XXXXXX**

"Has the Dark Lord got his minions back yet?" Sirius Black studied Lucius Malfoy curiously when the blond arrived on his mat.

"Slightly earlier today." Malfoy dropped into a nearby chair and sighed. "Can you explain what weapon caused the inflamed eyes and sneezing? Malfoys do not do inflamed eyes or sneezing."

"Avoid the school then." The tone was bright and the smile cheerful.

"No hints?"

"Capsicum and pepper...they've also got some gun which rather scrambles magic."

"I hate muggles." Malfoy growled softly. "I not only hate them, but I really hate you. How the devil am I meant to tell the Dark Lord his new initiates to the inner circle were taken out by garden vegetables and spice?"

"I never thought of that...how about notifying him that I betray well-bred ignorance on the subject?" "What about a case of well-bred death?"

"I only inflict that upon plants." Sirius gave a sniff and then swore before lunging to his feet. "Go-go-go!"

"Why?" Malfoy paused in the fireplace.

"Incoming vampiric negotiator...there's rather a backlog of negotiating to be done and I don't want to have to explain to the goblins why you're a vampire if this lot goes as badly as the last lot."

"I'll let Severus know there'll be more vampire fangs and whatever for him to play with...at least Goblins don't try to kill their negotiators!" Malfoy departed on that victorious note.

"There's never been a Black killed by vampires." Sirius gave a huff to the glowing fire before he spun to greet the newcomer.

"Does he really think we'd be so wasteful as to kill anyone who has survived to become a negotiator?" "To a Malfoy anything that isn't a pureblood wizard is dead...or will be very, very soon after." Sirius eyed his visitor for a moment. "I only negotiate with the Archon."

"The Archon is indisposed."

"Not the point." Black flames sparkled on Sirius' finger-tips. "You have five seconds."

"For what?"

"To leave or prove you are the Archon."

"Other..." The word never ended, the thoughts behind it lost in the sudden dust.

"KREACHER!"

"Mongrel calls Kreacher so...oh, yes Master Black, Kreacher will collect the potions ingredients." The bent old elf got busy, disappearing moments later with all of the evidence that there'd ever been a visitor. Sirius waited for several long minutes after the elf departed to be certain that Archon did not arrive in turn, then he took himself off to light another candle. This was the fifteenth vampire who'd attempted to displace the Archon by approaching the Negotiator out of turn and what he'd at first thought was the end of the world he was now learning was boringly commonplace. The first vampire's death had driven him in panic to memories of his youth, anything to silence the nightmares. Now, fourteen more vampires later it was simply part of his life, the death then the candle, followed by drill and meditation to ensure the soul and magic were repaired fully before facing the world once more...though resting on that thought for a moment, he really did need to ask Lucius to take a look at the Dark Lord. The man was untrained in the Dark Arts, no drill or meditation to maintain soul and sanity against the inherent damage of death. Sirius had had to mend his own soul plenty after Azkaban and he'd never consciously practiced the Dark Arts. The Dark Lord probably looked like moth-eaten lace to eyes which really looked and he couldn't but suspect that that fact would come in useful. The thought was discarded as Sirius slid into the pattern of drill. Here was peace, surety and the confidence that life was worth the living, problems could be solved later.

**XXXXXX**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14:**

It was one thing to know, in a rather academic manner, that your muggle friends were also acquainted with Sirius Black. Arthur Weasley had understood that the connection somehow tied to a magic school which wasn't Hogwarts, and it had actually been that matter which had brought him over on a Wednesday instead of his usual Saturday. Academic knowledge lacked the sheer impact which was the discovery, when you arrived next to the garden shed, of Petunia Dursley ringing a peal over the most dangerous wizard in Europe. Then there was the fact that Black was not cutting loose with magic, rather was standing there looking decidedly like an embarrassed schoolboy as he wore the verbal reprimands which rang through the air in clear and distinct English.

"What's happening?" Arthur, after several moments of shocked horror with a side order of terror, settled for shuffling over to Vernon Dursley, who was occupied with a tangle of wiring under the bonnet of his car. Arther rather wanted to know what he should be doing since he had a feeling that yelling for the Aurors would probably get them all in trouble.

"Eh?" Dursley blinked for a moment and peered out towards the kerfuffle in his garden. "Oh, Pet's upset that he came in near her roses...prize-winners they are." Dursley disappeared back into the guts of his car.

"Does she realise she's yelling at a mass-murderer?"

"For her roses Pet would cheerfully yell at Attila." Dursley gave a snort and pulled Arthur under the bonnet to hold a thingummy out of the way. "Wouldn't worry about us, Black's promised he don't fancy killing muggles."

"But..." Arthur started in complete confusion, then cursed and rubbed the back of his skull. Moments like these he infinitely preferred the lace bonnets his mother used to wear.

"Killing wizards is the real sport, and since I'm on a blood oath to family not to off any life even they're safe these days." Black had apparently escaped his trouble and was now standing a short distance back. "It's Wednesday Weasley, you should be at work."

"I might be if I wasn't trying to find out more about the school Finch-Fletchley said his son was going to." Arthur gave a huff and straightened up since Vernon had clearly finished whatever he needed the help for.

"Go talk to Mrs Dursley, since she's headmistress." Black shifted uneasily. "Don't worry about the fees, Hades has already pledged us to stand a scholarship for both Ginny and that Ravenclaw friend of hers who's been studying with Fai'lo...school needs some purebloods of your variety and Lovegood might actually listen and agree if you explain it to him."

"This isn't..." Arthur found himself struggling to find a polite way to ask his question, after all it wasn't like he could simply ask if this was some pureblood plot to dispose of the muggleborns and lights.

"I am a source of money, a source of venue for the school, a source of legal knowledge about the magical world and a ward stone. I have no say in the actual running of the school and have never met any of the students...I've met less than half the staff. This school was created by muggles so their magical children had an alternative option to Hogwarts...it was my godson and her nephew who went to Hogwarts as a muggleborn and ended up dead. It was her sister who went to Hogwarts as a muggleborn and graduated seven years later so indoctrinated in wizarding society that she refused to have a wedding such as her parents wished...their daughter was getting married and yet they just stood there on the edge of things being ignored." Sirius Black was silent for a moment. "We'd like to see Ginny at the school, but within a year she'll be talking telephones and tv, wearing trousers and chewing gum. She'll have weird books which talk of things you don't understand...probably won't believe either. She might even choose to get a job that doesn't require magic and is no part of the magical world...live a life that makes her no different to Petunia Dursley...unless Death Eaters pay a call, which is when she proves that she was taught to wield a wand with the best of them."

"Black..." Arthur hesitated for a moment, then abruptly made up his mind. "I'd like to send three to your school if I can."

"Three?" Black's brows shot up.

"The twins are bored at school and have neither political, nor academic ambitions so Hogwarts isn't important. They need to learn how to run a business, how to handle money...and quite frankly I think their joke-shop idea would go better if they had something other than magic to base their jokes and tricks on...I'd also be happier about Ginny if she had some brothers with her and Lovegood would probably be easier to persuade as well."

"Table the idea with your twins." Petunia Dursley spoke up suddenly, none of the men had realised she had arrived and was listening. "Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood can come on scholarship, but Misters Weasley are required to negotiate a contract whereby their schooling and the initial start-up capital for their shop gives the school a share in all profits made by the business. After their sixteenth birthday they will have the option of starting their business instead of enrolling in the customary electives of those two years. If they're interested, tell them to approach Hades Black to commence negotiations for the terms of the contract." Petunia took a moment. "Their holidays will also end a month early as they need to be integrated into the muggle world. We have day, week and boarder options...we would hope you would agree to the week option."

"Week option?"

"They board for four nights and go home for weekends. They floo in Monday morning and floo out Friday evening after classes finish." Black spoke calmly.

"Day?"

"They go home every night. Boarder is like Hogwarts." Black was beginning to grin.

"I...need to talk to Molly." Arthur's brain was whirling. "Need to talk to the kids as well. Merlin." Arthur blinked once more and then settled for apparating away. He'd not really thought of the twins before, but he really couldn't think of anything better for them than was being offered. The thought that some of his children might one day be able to simply melt into the masses of muggles without standing out or drawing comment...or make for a busy day in the oblivation office. This was far better than he'd even dreamed and he needed to speak to the twins and Ginny to check they'd be interested, then there'd only be Molly to pursuade. It sounded so nice and easy when put like that...he really should have borrowed a set of ear-plugs.

**XXXXXX**

"Enough!" The shriek was almost hysterical and all of Gryffindor turned to stare, with the exception of Hades Black.

"Chill, Granger, he's just reading." Black had moved fast to cover the small green ghost who'd been reading over her shoulder.

"Ghosts don't read." Granger's tone was still hysterical and the grip she had on her wand was worrying.

"Obviously they do." Black's tone was pointed. "Or to be precise, obviously this one does. Knows quite a bit more than just half of the first year syllabus now." A slight twitch followed the words and Black shot a glance to the door, something had sent Harry into hiding...and since Granger hadn't cast a spell this time, that meant it had to be approaching Staff.

"What is going on here?" McGonagal's tone was decidedly frosty.

"Nothing." Black returned to his book. "Granger objected to the fact that Green Harry pointed out a mistake in her Charms. I gave Harry cover so that he'd have time to duck and run should she be so incredibly stupid as to attempt to exorcise him...again."

"Miss Granger?" McGonagal turned to the girl with a tightened expression, she did not like Hades Black, but she knew better than to stir trouble with him now.

"I'm trying to catch up on the classwork I missed while in the Hospital wing." Granger gave a sniff and a gasp. "That horrible ghost has been pretending to read over my shoulder and been distracting me for days."

"Mr Black, request that ghost to leave Miss Granger alone." McGonagal turned to the boy.

"That ghost has a name, he can hear you for himself...and please explain to me how he can possibly be distracting Miss Granger considering he makes no sound, was not in contact with her and has infact been reading over her shoulder for three days without her ever realising until someone points it out...or in this particular case, Harry drew her attention to the fact that she should not leave that particular page yet."

"How do you know what his intent was?"

"He's my brother and he spends an awful lot of time reading over my shoulder. People point him out or very occasionally he draws my attention to something specific. No one had pointed him out in the past couple of minutes, which just left him deliberately drawing her attention. Harry doesn't draw anyone's attention unless he thinks the error is dangerous. Granger was reading a charms book. Therefore her error was in charms. Given the book, the page she's on and the fact that Harry interrupted...she was reading up on the Fidelius charm and was ignoring the limitations about castor and keeper."

"You think you know something about the Fidelius Charm?" McGonagal's tone was very dry.

"My brother's life was destroyed by that charm...my head of house spent a decade in prison because of that charm." Hades Black's voice was uncomfortably soft. "There isn't a book which even mentions that charm which has not been read by me, or one of my brothers...the problem Harry was drawing her attention to was the problem whereby an incorrect cast does not draw magic from the land, rather from the people who reside within the boundaries of the secret." There was a long moment of silence. "It's a nasty way to die, being stripped of your magic. There's also no known method but time to determine whether the casting was correct." Black tilted his head. "Otherwise the Fidelius might be a lot more common than it is and we wouldn't need a statute of secrecy since we'd probably have Fideliused this whole island and kicked the muggles out long."

"Mr Black!" It was an outraged objection, but McGonagal managed to bite her tongue before the brat managed to draw her into an argument. "Please request Mr Potter to leave Miss Granger alone...and don't forget your last History of Magic essay."

"Certainly not, Professor." The smile was utterly angelic, and McGonagal heard a faint moan of dread within her skull as she endeavoured to figure out how Black intended to top his last effort. No amount of reprimand changed Hades Black's completely haphazard approach to History of Magic...and worst of all was the fact that there was nothing definite which could be done since there was no definite crime committed.

**XXXXXX**

"Umm...sorry for interupting and I know you don't like me..." Ron stood in the doorway to the carriage looking very uncomfortable. "But thanks for helping Ginny and...'m sorry for what I've done against you and Harry."

"Harry said you found him and appologised before we left the school." Hades had looked up from his book and was studying the red-headed boy thoughtfully, then he shrugged. "I'm willing to call truce. You try and keep Granger out of my hair and I'll try not to bite your head off for simply existing."

"Thanks." Ron bit back on a slightly hysterical giggle. "D-d'ye think you could manage to include me next time you get tied up in fun?"

"Hopefully there will be no next time...but certainly, we will collar you if we have the time next time things start to happen."

"Right...umm, sorry Longbottom it just...well..." Ron had gone scarlet.

"'Salright." Neville gave an uncomfortable shrug. "Just...well at least leave my stuff alone next year."

"Thanks." Ron hesitated for a moment longer before he spun around and departed.

"That's cheating." Fai'lo practically threw the small black bag at Hades. "You knew he'd appologised to Harry and didn't tell us!"

"Spike would have known about the appology if he'd thought to look."

"Spike's a 'Puff, he simply assumes he's been given all relevent information." Draco had almost thrown his black bag as well.

"Ahh, but Spike also refused to take the bet...which should have warned you that something odd was afoot." Pluto handed his black bag over cheerfully.

"How do you know that he refused to take his own bet...and if so why did you take it?"

"I took it because I had to get rid of that bagful...and I knew Spike wasn't willing to take it because I asked him if he would." Pluto didn't even pause in his construction of a card house with Fai'Lo's pack of exploding snap cards.

"You are a horrible 'Puff." Draco was glowering darkly as he handed another bag to Hades, he was minimally appeased by seeing Hades hand a bag to Pluto.

**XXXXXX**

Minerva McGonagal was enjoying her cup of tea, for the first time since Hades Black had been sorted into Gryffindor. As Severus had predicted, the Black boys had tidied up all the petty arguments they'd fuelled when fighting themselves and the last few days of the school year had been peaceful. A pity the entire year hadn't been that way.

"Evil." Minerva wasn't even aware that she'd spoken until Sinistra Vector raised a query, and that was when Minerva realised she was far from alone in the staffroom.

"What's evil?" Vector had a reference book in hand a a messy scroll of notes on her knee.

"Who." Minerva made a wearied noise. "Hades Black is pure evil in a thirteen year-old skin."

"Harsh judgement." Vector spoke after a long moment of thought.

"You don't teach him." It was a tight remark.

"No, but I have been working with him most weekends...or at least most weekends that Severus doesn't already have him." Vector glanced down at her work for a moment and then carefully folded it away. "Hades is the Black Heir...and rather like the Malfoys and the Brevins families, that's a very significant matter." Vector gave a small sniff. "We are not asked to spoil their children, but it is assumed that we understand they live by a slightly different code."

"Code?" Dumbledore abruptly sat forward in his seat.

"My appologies, Severus." Vector gave a slight grimace towards Snape, who was a little too engrossed in his book for it to be real.

"Why are you appologising to him?" Confusion was now beginning to run riot through the staff room and Minerva was resigned to not enjoying her tea any longer.

"Because he told me you wouldn't know and I refused to believe him." Vector took a moment to marshall her thoughts. "Before You-Know-Who killed them all, the Brevins family were one of our three diplomat families. I believe there was intent for young Mr Potter to assume the Brevins Charge when he came of age...no idea what's planned now."

"No one has any idea, there simply is no one else." Snape finally put something into the shocked silence. "I believe Lucius Malfoy is beginning the ground work to have Pluto Black accept the Brevins Charge when he comes of age. He'd go for Fai'lo, the actual Potter Heir, but for the minor fact that Fai'lo is a Black Healer and cannot be spared...he's expecting trouble because it is a Black he's putting forward and no one's stupid enough to want the Black Charge and it will have to be accepted by another if something happens to Hades and Pluto already has the Brevins Charge."

"What is this Charge business? You haven't explained what makes these three diplomat families special. Why were the Brevins' important? Why were they killed and why must they be replaced."

"Our three diplomat families." Snape was silent for a long moment, honestly wishing that someone else would step forward with the knowledge. "The Black Charge is the oldest of all, they can trace their history back to the earliest written records of Egypt. The Brevins family were the second oldest, but they're too far removed from their continental cousins for us to hijack a younger son as has been known to happen with the families in the past. The Brevins Charge has existed since the ninth century. Malfoys hold the youngest charge, there's only began in the fourteenth century."

"Fortuitously coincides with their sudden ascension to Noble status and sudden increase in wealth." Dumbledore's tone was dry.

"The Malfoy Charge is the goblins, Headmaster." Snape's tone was suddenly icy. "If the Negotiator is not rich enough, he will die. The Malfoys and their wealth is all that has stood between us and more Goblin wars for six centuries now. The first Malfoy to hold the charge was given a challenge by Gringotts. To force the goblins to negotiate he had to win the challenge. The challenge was to take ten galleons and turn it into thirty-thousand galleons in one year. They're filthy rich because every Malfoy to hold the Charge has to prove the ability to meet that challenge at the age of majority."

"We negotiate with Goblins all the time." Dumbledore's tone was curt.

"No headmaster, the Goblins approach you and the Ministry all the time...have you ever tried, and succeeded in walking into Gringotts and making the Goblins negotiate with you?" Snape gave a snort after waiting for Dumbledore's reluctant negative. "It's a pattern of habit and hidden these days, but the Malfoy Charge is to literally walk into Gringotts and force a suspension of military action until a compromise is achieved. Because Malfoys have met the challenge and can meet the challenge, the Goblins will listen to them. The Malfoys are interested in peace with the goblins because it's the only way they can continue to meet the challenge."

"The Brevins Charge?" It was a faint question.

"Muggles." Snape's tone was curt. "The Brevins Charge is to watch what the Ministry is blind to so the muggles can't re-start the witch-hunts behind our backs or somehow blow us out of existance. The Brevins' were the lawyers who stood for you if you were charged in the muggle courts. They also used to cover Misuse of Muggle Artifacts and have involvement in the DMLE for muggle related crimes by wizards. The Brevins Charge is probably the safest, just a bit isolating since whoever holds it has to go through muggle schooling and live a muggle life...though the Dursley School might be offering an alternative for the future in that regard."

"The Black Charge?" Dumbledore sounded more than a trifle dismissive.

"Vampires." Snape gave a smirk as he noted the sudden pallor which graced every face. "I don't know much about the Charge...infact no one knows much about the Charge, beyond the Head of House Black and the primary heir. But Negotiator Black can, and frequently is required, to enter the lair of a vampiric coven to negotiate under their law." Snape gave a sudden smirk. "Best source of ground vampire fangs out there, hunters rarely get them in such perfect condition."

**XXXXXX**


	16. Chapter 16

**Epilogue December 1996:**

Professor Horace Slughorn, Potions Master, was very happy with himself, not only did he have his usual assortment from the cream of Hogwarts, but he'd managed to get the Black Heir to attend. The Black Heirs had been notoriously resistent to dealing with him...infact Blacks in general seemed to go markedly out of their way to not have dealings with him. Oh, the joy, he had the Black Heir and on such a momentous evening with Eldred Worple having agreed to come and bring his friend Sanguini to visit. Horace Slughorn wended his way through the crowd, lost in a happy dream which was eventually shattered by a furious argument. It didn't take Slughorn long to realised that it was the Black Heir who was in the centre of it, backed by his two brothers and watched by a growing crowd of the confused and amused. Hades Black was ripping Worple to shreds, going at it hammer and tongs under the eye of the amused Sanguini.

"...dietary supplements..." Between one thing and another Slughorn wasn't hearing more than the occasional phrase.

"Mumble." That one had been Worple, who was apparently attempting to explain why he'd encouraged a vampire to forgo blood.

"...internal irregularities of..." It was medi-jargon at the worst possible level and Slughorn began to look around for someone to end this without causing offence. Then, the matter ended anyway as Black stepped back with a disgusted noise and flung his wand into the air. "I, Hades Ankaa Alkvn Black, summon the Negotiators to resolve this question."

"..." Sanguini closed his mouth with a snap and the students crowded to the walls as shadows began to grow on the ground.

"What is happening?" Slughorn was spluttering from one side.

"Mr Black has apparently exercised his right as a Black to summon the Chief Negotiator of the Vampires." Sanguini seemed speculative more than anything.

"You summoned a Vampire?" Snape's expression was best described as highly amused.

"Actually I've summoned three...the Negotiator never travels without his guard." Black's wave was dismissive and disinterested. "I've also summoned Daiyati since he's the other negotiator."

"You called young Hades?" The Vampire who rose from the central part of the shadows made Malfoy look like an ill-bred clod. He was backed by two muscle bound tanks who were already moving.

"Archon." Hades bowed neatly, a discreet flick of his fingers raised Black Fire between the negotiation and the watching students. It was usually Sirius who raised the fire, but then it was usually Sirius who summoned the Negotiator. Usually the ward was to prevent the unwary from accidentally entering, and though he hoped the students weren't so stupid as to approach a vampiric negotiation, but he wasn't willing to take any chances either and it had the added advantage of ensuring that the vampires didn't stray if this negotiation became boring...and Hades was more than a little worried that Sanguini was well past the point of caring what source supplied the blood.

"You summoned a negotiation?" Sirius Black's tone was level.

"Your pardon." Hades shifted to keep his distance from the two guards, as heir apparent to Sirius they would be out to prove he deserved the ability to summon a negotiation...and what better test than to try and kill him while he is still oathbound as heir. The Archon was unlikely to attack out of respect for Sirius, but he would undoubtedly be watching.

"I see you've found our missing one." Archon had barely glanced at the delicate dance of distance, his attention on the fourth vampire in the room. Now he blinked and then gave a small yawn. "I take it this summons is about him?"

"I do not consider him well enough to travel safely." Hades slid into the Archon's own dialect at the same time as he neatly slid under the hand of one of the guards. With Sanguini within the negotiation circle, he could not even afford to shed a drop of blood. "The unblooded are to be protected."

"You bring your sire honour." Archon waited until there was a break before he summoned his guard back, young Hades was shaping well and had clearly recognised when attacks were not carried through to full extent. "It is suggested that you accept responsibility for the mundane negotiations within human law."

"The Negotiator does me honor." Hades waited until all four vampires had gone before he turned to Sirius. "Sir?"

"They have argued that a sixteen year-old could not have the skills...I think they've changed their minds."

"Mundane negotiations within human law?" The query came from the students who were now edging warily forward since the vampires were gone,taking the excess shadows with them and the flames had gone out.

"Human-Vampiric negotiations where the law in question is human." Sirius Black seemed to be studying his fingernails.

"There's any other sort of law?" The tone was ironic and loaded with disgust.

"Certainly." Sirius gave a sniff. "There's Vampiric Law, Goblinic Law, Centauric Law, Elven Law, Fae Law...you name a life form which resides within community, or otherwise interacts with its own species, and there'll be a legal system in place of some variety which requires negotiation." There was a long moment of silence. "Master Snape, your time, we require a guide to the Headmaster's Office and a confirming authority that I am not just making this up to get Hades out of class time."

"Negotiator Black." The faint bow of acknowledgement before a leading gesture began the journey from the room. "How long?" As a question it didn't require clarification, for the vampires had refused to acknowledge Hades as a negotiator only a couple of months previously, they'd given him summoning rights with extreme ill-grace. How long until Hades took over as Negotiator Black?

"Who knows...but I would advise you not to be surprised if this is his last year at Hogwarts." Sirius Black half-glanced down at his heir. "He is much more to their taste and this mundane negotiation period will more than prove his ability." Black gave a faint shrug. "The necessity that I deal only with the Archon is problematical...makes him too busy for his own taste, even if it does thin out the impatient from his responsibilities."

"Black Negotiator at seventeen?" Snape's brows had shot up sharply.

"Azkaban is not good for the soul and repairs are never as strong as they should be." Black gave a small shrug. "He'll be Negotiator Black by 19 regardless of anything because there's only so much time in each day and by then, even with the limitations and allowances, I'll need more than double the time any negotiation takes to repair the damage...and that's when you end up executed over retired. I'd prefer to retire."

"Daiyati." Hades Black had been listening in silence.

"Spike?" Sirius glanced at the boy.

"Why must Dumbledore be told of this?"

"Because we can't possibly hide it and he will make things difficult if he doesn't know...and Merlin have mercy on us if he doesn't believe he has the right of sanction."

"What happens if the Headmaster refuses to acknowledge the charge?" Hades was more than a little worried.

"Then I summon the Archon so Headmaster Dumbledore can personally explain why he is refuting the Archon's choice of mediator." Sirius' tone was dismissive.

"I do hope he refuses." Snape's tone was downright wistful.

"I don't." Sirius' nose wrinkled up slightly. "The Headmaster gets down-right bitchy when he thinks you're scare-mongering. Can you imagine the fuss he'll make when I cause his office to reek of Black Magic for a month because of a summons?"

"Fine, I agree, I don't want him to disagree either...and just why are we hurrying up so fast?"

"Because otherwise we won't have finished here before Spike gets his first call-out."

"You're expecting a call-out?"

"The fools in the Dangerous Creatures office reliably take this night of the month to round up vampires. Very busy night. Lots of annoyed vamps. It'll take three days to sort all of the negotiations, then the obliviators come through the Dangerous Creatures office and we're set for it to happen all over again with the next moon."

"Damn." Hades' curse was very heartfelt.

"Obviously I didn't shuffle that paperwork off on you nearly frequently enough." Sirius' observation came with rather a look.

"The damn had more to do with the realisation that this year the Vampire New Year is going to coincide with the monthly sweep..." Hades let it hang while Sirius scowled over the calculations.

"Forget it Black, the calculations will strain the brain cell you might have and we're here."

"Oh joy...password?"

"No idea."

"Good, then I'll give him half a minute before I let myself through."

"How do you intend to let yourself through?"

"Urban remodelling." Sirius was busy with a tapemeasure, his eyes glinting. "Or that was the term used by the vamp last week when explaining why he felt the need to tear through three walls. I think the Headmaster's entrance can be improved if the angle of the arch widens...I think if I clear an extra quarter metre either side as well as the gargoyle...oh, greetings, Headmaster, care to..."

"No, Mr Black." Dumbledore's tone was downright chilly.

"Ducky. Now, just letting you know that Hades has been nominated Mundane Negotiator by the Archon. He'll be leaving the school on occasion to meet the demands of that role."

"Acceptable, but his schoolwork may not suffer and no vampires may enter the school permises in search of him."

"His schoolwork never suffers and we cannot possibly guarantee that no vampires will come onto school grounds...best we can do is guarantee that they won't survive taking blood on school grounds."

"Even vampires deserve the right to a fair trial." Dumbledore's frown darkened again.

"Yes, well Blacks deserve the right to protect their lives, so vampires who break the laws of negotiation die. Anything else Headmaster?"

"No." It came after a long and grudging moment.

"Marvellous." Sirius consulted a large watch. "Come Hades, we've ten minutes to get clear of the wards before the summons are likely to begin."

"Bu..." Dumbledore settled for gaping as the two Blacks actually ran off, then he turned rapidly and caught Snape before he escaped. "There really is a call out tonight?"

"Highly likely." Snape's tone was bored. "Vampires know their rights and the Department of Dangerous Creatures is about to try stomping on their rights. The Department of Dangerous Creatures has a habit of stomping on the rights of the numerous sentient dangerous creatures and most of them come under the Black Charge for jurisdiction when they object to the oppression. Makes for a busy few days for the negotiators every month. Young Spike will no doubt make the rounds to collect his brother's homework until he returns." Snape eased himself away, in no mood to listen to the Headmaster's plans to return the Blacks to the straight and narrow path. A path which did not include killing vampires, blackmailing compliance out of poor defenceless schools, or any of the various acts of Dark Arts mastery that the Blacks had a habit of indulging in at very regular intervals.

**XXXXXX**

**So ends 'Black Dawn'. 'Moonfall' and 'Sleeping Dragons' are currently writing simultaneously and slowing things down, but should be posted in less than a year. Depends on bunnies and reality. Cheers. Adari**


End file.
